Rationality or Relationship?
by peerme
Summary: Alanis just lost her parents, killed by deatheaters. Living with Aberforth, she will now attend Hogwarts sixth form. She thinks herself knowing where to belong. But then she will sooner than she expected find her personified fate in Draco Malfoy himself.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: Unfortunately we all do not own any characters/story of Harry Potter and neither do I. ****But I do own Alanis Dumbledore and she will be mine for all time.**

**Hi, guys. This is my first story in here and I hope that you will enjoy as much reading as I enjoy writing it. Please, please forgive me any mistakes in the story, because I really tried hard to write this English story with my best efforts. **

**Please enjoy it and PLEASE REVIEW! Do not hesitate correcting me, it would only be helping improving my English skills! ;-)**

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><p>"Patricia Calgott."<p>

The whole hall went silent for another time as the sorting hat was about to announce in which house she will belong.

"Hufflepuff!"

It's voice yelled through the entire hall and Alanis could hardly bear it, also as the Hufflepuffs started to applaud the tiny little girl who jumped off the stool to teeter to her new house-table.

"Alanis Dumbledore."

Although the whole hall whispered as Alanis took her steps forward, she was relieved, that she wouldn't have to wait any longer to be chosen for a specific house. She wondered which house would be the best for her, because she attended Hogwarts school very, very late. She swallowed down her nascent grief, but was hardly able to do it.

Several months ago her parents were killed by death eaters and her grandpa Aberforth, the brother of Albus Dumbledore, had to take care of her. She had to begin a new life, had to skip her old school of wizarding and move to Aberforth, who barely was amused to take care of a teenage girl, but she hardly bothered him with anything. Albus therefore, was more gentle and loved her and had introduced her immediately to Harry Potter and his friends.

But she wasn't able to get around the sorting ceremony and had to enqueue to the first class members, although she now would be sixth form with Harry, Hermione and Ron, who welcomed her in the most kindly way she'd ever imagined. It gave her most of all strength to keep going forward.

She sat down on the stool and let Professor McGonagall put the stinky hat on her. It whispered in her head which caused in her the urgency to put him immediately off:

"I see overwhelming desire in you, although you still suffer a lot from the death of your family. You'll have to be brave. Bravery is where you belong to, actually. From there I hope you'll agree with me that I say - GRYFFINDOR!"

She sighed another time with relief.

Alanis quickly headed to the Gryffindor table and embraced Ginny. As she saw Hermione and Ron clapping with joy, she reckoned that her eyes were filled with tears. _I'll be safe here_, she thought, _that's where I belong_.

"Where is Harry?", she asked.

Their faces grew worried, but Ginny almost jumped off her seat, as she saw Harry entering the hall, pressing an ensanguined handkerchief to his nose.

"He's covered in blood! Why is he always covered in blood?"

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><p>Draco Malfoy sat there on the Slytherin table bored as always when the sorting ceremony took place. He hated those little filthy first years, their pleasure and joy. He almost never felt that when he was coming to the castle. Fortunately, this would be his last year in there anyway.<p>

His fate had great plans for him. He would be able to regain honour for his family, especially for his weak father who'd ruined everything. Draco felt nothing but disgust for his father.

He let his pumpkin juice swirl around in his goblet and rested his chin on his arm, looking more bored than ever. But he raised his eyebrow as the whole hall began to whisper, as McGonagall read out loud the names of the first class students.

"Who the hell is she?", asked Pansy Parkinson next to him and he followed her eyes and looked at a girl who was definitely not a first class.

She had a most agreeable figure, brown hair which shone golden and looked as if she was blanking out her whole surrounding, as a result of great nervousness. To his astonishment she looked very interesting to him. But as the old, dirty hat yelled out "Gryffindor!" his sympathy for her died away as if somebody had blown out a candle, more likey a whole candleholder. With disdain he watched her joining the little Weasel girl.

There were enough girls in this old, bloody castle anyway, which he could meet if he needed it. At least there would always be Pansy, although he'd already got tired of her, but she would serve in physical matters.

He had to admit to himself that losing that girl was a pity. He smirked another time. But in real masculine urgencies also he could forget the house-policy of this bloody castle.

"Can you imagine which relation she has got to Dumbledore? I mean her name is Alanis Dumbledore! Could she be his grand-grand-grand-child or something?", Pansy giggled and caused Draco to grunt bugged.

Ok, this girl should definitely not be his. She was a damned Gryffindor and a Dumbledore! The Dumbledore's seemed to be his curse!

But why did she attend Hogwarts this late? She seemed to be fifth or sixth form like he was. The skin of his left arm got goose bumps as he discovered the possibility. If his supposition was right, she could be an easy target for him, because she would need love, even if there was only one particular love that he would give her.

As Pansy suddenly asked, why Potter was late and his face entirely covered in blood, he smirked to himself another time. Breaking Potters nose was the best thing he'd done for ages and he enjoyed it, however, it had also been a bit of revenge for his father.

He watched Potter coming up to the Gryffindor table and greeting the newvDumbledore-girl. And then they both looked right to his direction. He hated to read the question marks in that girls expression. Draco looked down to his goblet.

In fact, if he'd been in the mood, he would already have told the other Slytherins and demonstrated how Potter's nose had broken, but things changed. As much as he hated it, he wouldn't be able to live a normal life from now on. His mission caught his attention entirely and there was no space for fancy jokes or underwear-adventures.

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><p>Alanis loved that old castle, although it was still very difficult to find her ways to the classrooms. There had to be some secrets hidden in that ancient walls which waited for her to be discovered.<p>

Harry's and Hermione's stories of their last years at Hogwarts were extraordinarily terrific. Harry gently tried to avoid stories which were related to You-Know-Who, but she had at the end get over with her pain of her parent's death anyway. Harry felt with her, but she doubted he really could imagine the difference between their losses. He never really got to know his parents, while she had lived with them for almost seventeen years.

She grabbed her bag tighter and hurried up to the inner courtyard. Her Transfiguration class was on top of her Friday's schedule.

She hadn't got any problems with the learning matters at Hogwarts and easily continued with her studies, but Hogwarts and its surrounding outranged her old school in Norway utterly.

She loved Transfiguration and Charms the most, was even able to overmatch Hermione as she performed some transfiguration spells in front of class to demonstrate McGonagall her skills and transfigured a pair of dragon hide protective gloves into a small version of a Norwegian Ridgeback. Professor McGonagall was very pleased to see Alanis being that skilled.

She perhaps inherited the skills of her father, who was brilliant at fixing and constructing magical artefacts, like dark detectors, pensieves or rotating towers and had worked at the Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects at the Ministry before her family moved to Norway.

Hermione was quite upset about Alanis outrangin her, and still, after so many months still, pretended it to be, but never would have dared to admit that she was pleased to have Alanis as companion with intelligence and background. In the meanings of friendship, they were already close.

But there were subjects that Alanis completely failed, too.

She hated herbology and potions, which were locked to each other in some terms like herbs or ingredients. She hated the fumes that emerged from the cauldrons, the heat, and in spite of her trying to brew properly, she always failed and even did worse than poor Neville and that's saying something. Professor Slughorn kindly pulled down her lack of success and knowledge to her personal familial loss and still wanted her to be in his "Slug club", although she knew that her potion-skills would never ever improve. Therefore she admired Harry coping with the potion classes so easily this year as he immediately became the favourite student of Slughorn, even if it was due to this strange book of _Advanced Potions_ which was originally owned by the curious Half-Blood-Prince.

Hermione abominated that book, but Alanis liked that little conflicts about it between them because those cheered her up, in fact because they prevented her from thinking of her parents. But if the death of her parents had not been the cause of her moving to this castle, she would have been very glad to be here. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and treated her with no pity, which would only have increased her pain. She was accommodated with acceptance and kindness.

Alanis ran down the portrait gallery, turned around the corner and bumped right into another student.

"Watch out!" he grunted angrily, as Alanis picked herself up and collected her stuff.

"I'm sorry!", murmured Alanis and as she looked up she faced the heated gaze of Draco Malfoy.

She first got to know him as Harry told her that he had broken his nose in the Hogwarts Express. Harry told her everything about Dracos family, that his father was a death eater, now locked up in Azkaban, and Draco an evil git, who loved to abuse his position as Prefect and harass other students.

But in all her first months in Hogwarts she never saw him bullying some first class students, at most laughing at her or Neville proceeding some potions which looked like tar and smelled like...well, let that be put to fantasy... or hardly teasing Harry and even his stupid companions Crabbe and Goyle. If she didn't know better, she rated Malfoy being nothing more than an average Slytherin.

Funnily enough he looked too handsome if things that worse should match with his pretty face. Some strands of his otherwise properly combed blond hair were now loosened and covered his forehead and his intense grey eyes stared at her with intensity.

"Sorry." she repeated clumsily and looked down to the floor. He didn't wear the school uniform, but some black suit and robes which fitted perfectly. Perfect for someone of whom stories were told like Harry did.

Malfoy became different, Harry had already noted that. He'd changed. Draco seemed becoming more neglectful with his school-work, as he didn't hand in some Transfiguration homework assignments, skipped some lessons and received detention for it, but never cared to attend. Professor Snape already taught him lectures, even in the Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons, but Malfoy no longer seemed to admire him and spoke ill towards him.

"It's you...," he said angrily and looked her over, backed away as if he would contract a disease from her, ",watch your steps next time!"

Alanis nodded fiercely and he moved on, obviously skipping the Transfiguration class, as he always was likely to do.

However, that day she obviously faced his friendly side, didn't she?


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, everyone. I'll just add two following chapters to make you better see my way of writing. I just added some personal progress and hope that you will like !**

**Please don't forget to REVIEW! **

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><p>Draco breathed out slowly. He shortly considered tripping this Dumbledore girl up, that she would know how to act in front of him, but he thought of that as too much effort. He smirked. Poor girl, she lost her parents lately. But her family was one out of hundred, out of thousands which would follow, when the Dark Lord took all over.<p>

Draco sighed and his palms grew sweaty.

_Leave your thoughts be, Draco, _he said to himself, as very vivid but cruel pictures raised in his memories. He shook his head angrily to shy them away.

He wouldn't make his coat dirty because of that little Dumbledore girl. There was so much left to do, which he had to care more about.

Several times he'd already skipped McGonagall's or Snape's classes, who was announced to be the new Defence of Dark Arts teacher, but he didn't really care about it. These classes had their only advantage of how easily he could skip them, because Snape would never dare to denigrate one of his favourite students. So he now could easily concentrate on his task.

He must not fail, or his days would be numbered sooner as he liked them to be.

Draco smiled to himself. He was well prepared and he would not fail.

He felt it deep in his heart.

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><p>"You have to flick your wand with a more delicate movement, just limp-wristed!", Hermione grizzled with a vicious smile as Alanis tried to dye her left eyebrow green and her right one purple. In fact, Hermione and Alanis always pushed up one another to get best performances, especially at Transfiguration.<p>

Alanis just gave her an annoyed smile and quickly tried to prevent her eyebrow from growing exuberantly until it would cover half of her face. But she didn't even look worse than Ronald did. He managed to let himself grow a gorgeous yellow beard which definitely did not match with his red hair.

Hermione snorted with laughter, as well as Alanis and Harry did, as a bunch of yellow hair grew out of his ears too, which made him look like a straw man. Ron threw his hand mirror at the girls, but Alanis quickly transformed it into a big iridescent butterfly.

"How dare you throw a mirror at your classmates, Mr Weasley! Five points from Gryffindor!", Professor McGonagall shouted angrily, reached out and if she called it, the butterfly sat down on her hand."And fifteen points for you, Miss Dumbledore, for this beautiful charm!"

Hermione's expression grew sour. Alanis just patted her back, grinning haughtily and Hermione shivered.

"Ok, yes, it was a beautiful charm!", she mumbled and quickly changed her eyebrows into pink ones.

Harry later elbowed Alanis, as the friends retired to the common room, while Hermione tried to help Ron getting rid of his hairy problem, hardly suppressing her laughter.

"That was amazing! You definitely would be missing, if you weren't here, Alanis."

Alanis blushed slightly.

"Thank you, Harry."

They sat down in the big armchairs at the fireplace and Hermione quickly began to write the essay on the _Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration_ they got for homework.

"Apropos missing, did you notice Malfoy skipping the classes today?", Alanis continued, Harry and Ron nodded, Hermione otherwise pretended to suddenly be deaf. She knew what Alanis was starting with this few words and she was really annoyed from it.

"I hope he won't be playing for Slytherin the next week. There've been some rumours that he even paid Harper to take his position over!", Ron said and rubbed his chin as if he still felt that awful beard.

Harry cocked his eyebrows.

"He paid someone to replace him?", Harry repeated excitedly.

Harry had this strange conviction that Draco Malfoy had just become a death eater like his father and was trying to concoct something by Voldemort ordering him to do so. Malfoy's strange behaviour that he displayed gave Harry enough evidence to claim him having now entirely thrown himself to the dark side.

Hermione was reluctant to believe that and even Ron had his doubts. Alanis was undecided with her opinion because she hardly knew anyone at Hogwarts, perhaps except her friends.

But would some powerful dark mage like Voldemort even care about a young boy like Malfoy? Wouldn't he be a waste of time? Why should Voldemort assign a task to a sixteen year old boy who had just grown out of his diapers?

"I just don't want him to play next week. It's just an advantage we have for the game.", Ron said nervously and rubbed his hands as if he imagined him playing Quidditch. Alanis was very surprised that Ron made it to the Gryffindors keeper, because Ron's biggest enemy was he himself. He was just a nervous wreck and seemed to lose his mind even more with every day the game came closer. Lavender Brown, to Hermione's annoyance, seemed to admire Ron even for that lack of self-confidence.

"Malfoy always loved it to play Quidditch and attract a great deal of attention to himself playing in the Slytherins team. He really must have good reason to skip it, especially a game versus Gryffindor.", Harry said, not wanting to drop that conversation.

"I suppose he will say that he's ill."

"I think the only ones being ill are you both. Just leave that silly presumptions of Malfoy be! You have to care about other things, like school! You're not done just with your O.W.L.s, you have to focus on the N.E.W.T.S.!", Hermione said angrily, looking up from her piece of parchment, gripping her quill so hard that ink dropped down on her skirt.

"But Harry's got good reasons, Hermione. And with his explanation, everything seems to fit, even Malfoy's unusual mood.", Alanis said.

"Look, Hermione, even Alanis agrees! There's no better thing than hanging around and slag Malfoy off."

Hermione squinted her eyes.

"That seems to be quite nice, Ronald, but I won't be messing around, wasting my time with talking about an unimportant bloody ferret. If you're likely to do, you can be sure that you'll have to face the consequences and results at the end of this year!

"Hermione, what did you do to yourself in the Transfiguration lesson? Did you want to change your mind into Percy's? You should ask Alanis to change it back into a far more chummy one!", Ron grumbled and as if he made the funniest joke of all time, Lavender Brown giggled from the back of the room and smiled at Ron, who blushed, obviously very satisfied with himself.

But Hermione didn't laugh at all. She broke her quill into two pieces, grabbed all her stuff, plugged it into her bag and rushed out of the common room, with waving fuzzy hair.

Alanis looked at Harry, who as much seemed to be embarrassed and as well not appreciating Ron's comment. But she wasn't able to bear the uncomfortable silence between them and desperately wanted to wipe Ron's priggish look off his face. Alanis cleared her throat:

"When do we visit Hogsmeade?"

"Do you urge to get back to Hogsmeade? It can't be special to you, you've stayed there for months!", Ron said.

Alanis grunted. How compassionate Ronald was! But in fact, Alanis had lived with her grandpa for three months before she attended Hogwarts school and it was true that she hated being at the Hog's Head.

"Perhaps, Ronald, I want to go there because I'm as tired as you are from school and want to get some free time, without that aurors observing us even going to the toilet! Besides, I have to visit my grandfather."

Harry cocked his eyebrows.

"I thought you can't abide him?", he asked astonished.

"He's my grandpa and I have to try to come up with him. I still have to be with him for one and a half year until I've finished with school.", Alanis shrugged.

In fact, Alanis already surrendered with her will to be kind and friendly to Aberforth, because she never ever got a glimpse back. Aberforth seemed to be mostly reluctant of having to put her under his wings and therefore they quickly transformed to simple feathers.

Harry nodded understandingly, but she knew that he still had his problems with the Dursley's too. And even after all the things that they've done to him, after they treated him like an unpleasant attachment, they still were part of his family and she knew that he even would try to protect them if they were in danger.

"And perhaps he will welcome me with some mulled mead and cauldron cakes, at least.", she said and smiled sadly, standing up and grabbing her bag. "I'm off for Hermione."

Alanis suggested Hermione being in the library, but there was no sign of her. They both loved that place, the ancient knowledge hidden there, safely stored on the room-high shelves. As she passed the restricted section, she could hear the very angry voice of Draco Malfoy and stepped closer.

"I have this permission of Professor Snape to enter, woman! Let me go through!", he ordered with a harsh voice, but Madam Pince was just as insistent.

"The aurors closed that area to prevent little prying students like you to get into contact with things that they should not know! And there are no exceptions, even if you have a permission!"

Alanis saw Draco swallowing down his anger.

"I just want to read about foeglasses for my DADA essay!"

Alanis supposed that this was a lie, because there was no DADA essay like that, but it hid the truth about his concern. Perhaps he _did_ want to know about magical artefacts, but none of the good ones, if he wanted to look them up in the restricted section.

"Well, you then just have to get along with the common books. But you surely would be so kind searching them by yourself, would you?"

And with that Madam Pomfrey rushed away to shy away some first classes who dared to enter the library with a package of acid pops. Malfoy seemed to be very upset and turned around his heel, but obviously undecided about what he should do next. Alanis sighed, grabbed a book from a shelf and walked to him.

"Malfoy."

As he noticed her beneath him, he backed away. She held out that book she took before and waited until he would accept it.

"What do you want?", he spat at her, but Alanis didn't answer.

She just put it on the table beneath them and left the library, not very clear with herself what had driven her to help Draco Malfoy finding a book he wanted, or perhaps which he pretended to find. Maybe it could serve him.

_It's Harry's fault, _she told herself.

Except the death of her parents, she never faced any dark forces or even realized how dangerous they could be. She did not know them, and therefore wanted to investigate them. Draco Malfoy seemed to be a part of it and therefore her best source. Whatever he concocted, even if he did, she wanted to help Harry finding out. She wanted to support Harry defeating the dark, for her own sake, that she could avenge her family's death.

That's why she wasn't able not paying attention to Draco Malfoy.


	3. Chapter 3

_Dark Materials And Its Uses._

Malfoy looked down to the book the Dumbledore girl left at the table. Had she just been sneaking around?

Surely, she did it for Potter and wanted to spy on him, but he didn't really understand why she should have helped him with finding the book he needed. Would she have done it if she knew that he only needed it to repair a dark object? A dark object which should make him able creating a way to invade that School, which would serve to break it down?

This school won't ever be the same if it lost the one who made it like it currently was.

But that Dumbledore girl made him curious and he grabbed the book, looking around as if someone could observe him taking her advice. He quickly ran through the pages, but it was of no use for him. What he needed had to content darkness, as if it was created by the dark made flesh itself, worse than anything that the little Dumbledore girl could possibly have ever imagined.

He threw the book back on the table and quickly made his way out of the library, grunting in anger. This was just a mess. It was anyway ridiculous consulting books, they did not conform with reality in any way.

The dark things weren't as complex as people thought of them. Just as Snape taught them in their very first DADA lesson, they were alterable and thoroughly obscure. Some things hid ancient dangerous powers inside, powerful and patiently waiting to be released. They almost pulse with dark power, respond to fear, unconsciousness and cruelty, as if they were alive, just waiting to devour and absorb the light. And in spite of the hazardousness they emanated, the exposure to them was rather intoxicating, affecting, but thrilling as if you always were in great danger.

Draco was caught by this feelings, but the smooth excitement that had ran though his veins at the very beginning had almost faded away and left nothing but despair which digged his way deep into his heart.

He failed.

He was about losing everything and he knew it.

He'd just overestimated himself, thinking of himself being able to save his family, his mother, his own life. But there seemed hardly to be a chance, because he was just too weak, too fucking bloody stupid.

Pictures of his wildest nightmares came true, tracked him even in the middle of the day, already petrified him of the worst happening, being killed by the most dangerous man of the wizarding world.

And at that first moment he had looked into the eyes of the little Dumbledore girl, this torture started. That's why he tried to avoid her, even her curious gaze at him, in spite of him wanting to return it, asking himself why looking at her affected him that much.

He clenched his left fist, as his arm began to get goose bumps, began to tremble.

As he got to know who she was and that her parents were recently murdered by death eaters, every single sight of her, even the knowledge of her being in the same room like him tortured him with cruel memories. Every thought of his initiation rite let his left hand ache, let his body shiver as he remembered the innocent people he had to torture until they had lost their mind, until death finally released them from their insufferable pain.

He could almost feel the excitement that it had left, but also the deep sense of horror and guilt.

But most intense was the wave of power which had overwhelmed him as he took their lives. It was as if their life force was under his control and increased his power. He'd never felt that almighty, untouchable and invincible. It had been the most ghastly thing in his life he had ever felt.

Draco speeded up his pace and headed to Myrtle's toilet, tiptoeing past the aurors who patrolled in almost every corridor of the castle. After he shut the door behind him, he felt as if his chest tightened, every breath he took burned his core, he gulped and felt his legs wobble. He sank down to the floor, overwhelmed by the sudden weakness that broke him down.

"It is you again! Poor boy..."

He was hardly able to look at the translucent form of the girl in front of him, his sight was blurred and black shadows clouded his mind. He wanted to shy that annoying ghost of Myrtle away, but there was nothing coming out his mouth than weak pants and coughs. He pressed his hand against his chest, gasping for air and tried to calm down.

"Let yourself go..."

Draco looked at her with heavy eyelids, picking himself up and tottering forward, crying out angrily. He wasn't letting it happen that his mission would destroy him, he would rather burn that bloody woodpile that he had to rearrange!

"Leave me alone.", he snarled at Myrtle.

"Don't fight back your tears. It actually would hurt you more than accepting being vulnerable."

He quickly pointed out his wand at her, but she didn't move an inch. Whatever he could have done to her, it didn't scare her at all, she'd anyway already been dead. But she knew when to leave and flushed herself down a toilet, howling with great sorrow.

Draco's grip loosened and his wand fell to the ground, clapping with a strange noise, resounding at the high walls around him and left emptiness behind. Draco touched his cheeks, warm and slightly wet of silent tears. He swallowed heavily.

_I am Draco Malfoy._

He would never let anything weakening him that way.

But he'd already found out himself always have put up a big front with false self-assuredness, strength and boldness. He'd always hidden behind his name, his family and the part he had to play that he was given by his father. It never had really been himself. His mother had constantly tried to keep up the real Draco inside him who just cared about his family and forgot about the dark, traditions and duties. That boy had left long ago.

But now even the strong and esteemed Draco Malfoy had left. He was just weakened by his splendid talent dragging himself into more misery than he already had to suffer from before.

He gently rubbed his temples and wiped away the traces of his tears. He would have to find a way to make progress in his mission. And also if his second option was a preposterous one, he'd no other choice than trying it out.

Draco shivered with reluctance. He would not let anything bring himself down. He'd already planned everything through, even the worst.

He reached out for his wand and pulled out a gleaming galleon and held it right in front if his face. Now he would be able to prove his abilities. He would show that he could as well bring other people down than himself.

He tapped his galleon, on which he had worked the _Protean Charm_, with the tip of his wand and it heated up immediately. There was just one thought left in his mind.

_It's time to act._

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><p>"You really don't want t join us in the Three Broomsticks yet?", Harry asked and put an arm around Alanis' shoulder as the four made their way to Hogsmeade.<p>

"I can't. I have to visit my grandfather first. I suppose he would not even look at me any more if I miss it."

"I guess you could be happy if he would throw you out.", Ron chuckled and Hermione jostled him that he almost fell down into the metre high snow.

Alanis was in fact really reluctantly leaving her friends behind in the friendly warmth of the Broomsticks, but she headed to the Hog's Head and stopped to look at the house with its grey weather beaten walls, the leak windows and roof.

She wasn't surprised that only two hooked figures sat in the bar, but the whole remaining pub was empty. Although a open fire illuminated and warmed up the room, Alanis felt as if the room temperature was even lower than outside, as she stepped in.

Aberforth looked up from cleaning some cups, but she couldn't read any expression on his face.

"Abe!", she called shyly, smiling with all the warmth that she could afford that moment.

He just answered reluctantly.

"Alanis."

No warm greeting, no smile, nothing. She felt her shoulders drop and looked to the floor. But why should she lie too?

She was perhaps as much less pleased to see him. But it hurt her that he wasn't able to give her the love that he always pretended to have for her and that she had been accustomed to when she had been a child. What the hell did change it?

She stepped closer and tried to ignore the glances from the two strangers at the fireplace.

"How are you, Abe?"

He just frowned.

"I always told you not to call me that."

Alanis flinched at his harsh voice. It was so easy turning around and leaving, but her conscientiousness made her stay. But she couldn't help herself growing angry.

"I just wanted to say hello. The others are waiting for me in the Three Broomsticks."

"The others?"

But she knew why he really had been upset. If she honestly was interested in Aberforth and the Hog's Head, she would have managed to take her friends there. She could not have shown more apparently that even Alanis herself didn't want to stay in the Hog's at any cost.

"Harry Potter and his friends. They treat me as if I've always been with them, with more kindness I ever expected", she said and tried to hard not to sound reproachfully.

"Well, then you shouldn't let them wait too long."

How much she wanted to obey these words!

"But tell me how everything's going."

Aberforth sighed heavily and put the cup away, which didn't really look cleaner as before.

"If people would be remembered that the pub exists, they would perhaps enter. And to your information, girl, it is getting much worse. Everything's got more dangerous. No one dares even to take one step out of the front door. But how could you know, cuddled up there in that fantastic school, where everything is alright and save?", he said and almost spat his last words at her.

"Albus does remember everyone that we are threatened by dark forces and he urges us to beware of running into danger! And he says that we can only face the dark together!"

"Of course the genius Albus just knows what to do! But does he know of the ones outside his walls? Does he know of the dangers _we_have to face?"

Aberforth smiled sarcastically.

"I don't want to argue with you about Albus! I believe that he and the Order will know how to defend ourselves.", Alanis bit her lip.

Aberforth shook his head eagerly.

"Albus just overestimates his possibilities and he just follows his own interests. He still thinks that what he decides is the best thing. But believe me, girl, he may be wise and skilled and whatever else, but he's also an old man like me. And he's running out of time."

Alanis looked at him with her mouth open, disgusted of Aberforth's dislike of his own brother, such an adorable man.

"Don't look at me like that! You'll find out yourself by the time, girl.", Abe grumbled and patted his stomach, as if he was just heaving had a good meal to his whole satisfaction.

"Albus won't ever be following his own interests! He acts for the sake of the commonalty!", Alanis pretended, but Aberforth looked at her with a most pleased expression.

"And that, in fact, is the main problem."


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys! Sorry I unintentionally deleted the story, but now I'm back, also with a new chapter. I did like writing that chapter and I hope that you'll be liking it too. I love to imagine Crabbe shooting around with an amount of spells, but find out what's behind it^^.**

**Enjoy and PLEASE REVIEW!**

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><p>"Miss Dumbledore will know face Mr Malfoy and Mr Crabbe.", Snape said and curled up his lips in a faint smile. Snape'd just assumed that the whole DADA class lacked in every single discipline of nonverbal spells. That's why he just said that there will be more practice, which meant face-to-face duels in front of the whole class.<p>

Draco found that almost annoying, but even he himself could need practise for the near future.

"But two against one is unfair!", Parvati Patil protested.

"Do you think that the real life out there is fair? Or would you like to ask your enemies first if they would face you one by one that you can easily knock them out? I' sure they would be likely bargaining with you, Miss Patil, particularly in the face of death." Some Slytherins giggled, even Malfoy once listened to his teacher and smirked.

"Let us see what is hidden behind famous names. Let us see who really owns power.", Snape said and directly looked into Potters face, as Alanis stepped forward. Draco smirked. Although he disliked Snape, Draco appreciated him bullying Potter whenever he got the chance to.

That Dumbledore girl pressed her lips together, as if she still had to prevent her from murmuring the spells, but Draco knew better that she'd been more than successful with nonverbal spells. Not that he'd been interested in that girl's progress.

But somehow he liked the thought of facing her, as he felt as if he could put all his despair into her defeat, and would finally get away from the strange feelings that emerged every time when he saw her. Perhaps he could now get rid of his nightmares too.

Crabbe looked like he was about getting a really big Christmas cake, in spite Snape never being father Christmas. Crabbe loved to duel, although he was more than unskilled, but nevertheless dangerous, as for his enemies and companions as well. He often overestimated himself, and thought of him being capable of being able casting and controlling even real powerful spells of the dark ones. Draco had never even heard of them, but once Crabbe tried to demonstrate his power in front of Draco and the others and cast some real dangerous ones which he hardly was able to control. Blaise, Goyle and Draco had to calm him down and get rid of that fiendfyre he just had summoned, much worse than any other magical summoned fire. Although that had almost cost their lives and almost burnt down Malfoy Manor, Crabbe pretended to be his favourite dark curse and was never willingly to forget it.

But Draco had always known that Crabbe and Goyle were just pitifully cack-handed fools and there was nothing better than their loyalty for the dark inside them. And perhaps that was the only reason why he took them as companions, but he really found a much better fit in Zabini Blaise, who remained somehow strange to him, because he never liked to speak a lot. Blaise was tall, his high cheekbones made him exceptionally handsome, which he inherited from his notorious mother and was therefore slightly vain, but solitary and pertinacious. But actually all of that didn't bother Draco, he anyway actually wanted to be left alone with his business.

As soon as Snape let them start, Crabbe jumped forward and threw so many jinxes and spells at the Dumbledore girl that she seemed to disappear behind a curtain of bolts and lightning.

Crabbe just unremittingly kept on attacking her and every idiot could have seen the faint movements of his lips as he muttered every single spell. But Snape did not seem to care Crabbe breaking the rules. Draco himself had not even raised up his wand, but observed the girl and had to admire her extremely strong and constant shield charm that prevented him from using his legilimency skills he was taught by Bellatrix to enter her mind and finish this whole thing quickly.

Her face was extremely calm and she seemed to be in deep concentration and she slightly waved her wand in little circular movements to constantly keep up the charm. In fact, countering Crabbe's blasts of curses was almost impossible. And that was Draco's chance. Crabbe bought him the time he would need to find the weak point in her massive shield.

Draco smirked and lifted his wand. Rough violence was sometimes the best way to success.

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><p><em>"Protego Maxima."<em>

Alanis repeated that spell as often as she could in her mind and with every curse of Crabbe that hit her shield, she shivered and felt herself weaken.

She knew she would have never been able to stand a chance against them both, although Crabbe was one of the most lousy wizards, normally an easy target, but shot curses around him as he seemed to don't care about harming anyone but anyone. But could that be all? Could a simple shield charm be the only thing she would be able to produce?

Malfoy had not even involved himself in that duel and she was already fighting to stand that tirade of Crabbe.

But wasn't it simple? She just had to act like her father would have done. Performing magic was just as simple as music. Magic was as complex as music and both had a lot in common, that was the secret of her father with his work. Performing a spell was quite similar to sing a melody. That's why rituals were some of the most powerful kinds of magic.

This would all be more easier if Alanis would be able to cast the spelly out loud, and she really tried hard to keep her mouth shut.

Suddenly she felt as if something was reaching out for her, feeling her and she looked up to Malfoy who just held his wand pointed at her. She knew he was trying to figure out the extent of her shield charm and she almost could feel the touch of his own spell. But then she wasn't any longer able to hold back her anger to fight back, reduced her shield to a smaller one and countered Crabbe's jinxes.

_"Everte statum!", _she threw her thought at him as if it was a sharp arrow.

Crabbe tottered back and she was grateful for her charm succeeding, but then she felt that her remaining shield broke at one elegant but fierce flick of Malfoys wand. She felt her legs bubble and limbs weaken as she recognized how much effort and strength this shield had afforded.

As soon as she faced Malfoy, ignoring Crabbe rolling on the floor, trying to free himself from his cloak and getting up to his feet again, she threw a Locomotor charm at him. But Malfoy easily warded it off and countered with such a strong disarming charm that she was repelled and bumped on the floor, her wand pushed away from her somewhere under the tables and out of sight. She panted heavily as she finally got to her feet.

"Enough.", Snape said and barely hid his amusement in his voice. Malfoy had really done a good job, Alanis had to admit that, but for her the whole thing wasn't over. She stretched out her arm and used a nonverbal summoning charm and her wand flew immediately into her palm. Some students gasped. This charm was still one of the most tricky ones, for which Alanis normally should have received twenty house points, but Snape ignored her.

"You both did very well", he said to Crabbe and Malfoy, who had a self-satisfied grin on his face, "Take fifteen house points each!"

Alanis could hear Harry behind her breathing heavily, as Snape slowly turned around to Alanis.

"You're pointing a wand at a teacher, Miss Dumbledore.", Snape said cruelly and Alanis quickly put her wand down, but made no effort to back away. Although she had lost, she had fought quite well and she pretended to gain some house points as well, especially for that summoning charm. Deep inside her she knew that being stubborn was useless, but she wouldn't be a Gryffindor if she would not pretend for her right.

"Everyone in here could see your lack of a casting a real good and persistent shield charm, Miss Dumbledore. To improve your skills, I think a forty centimetre essay about protective spells will serve for your improvement."

Alanis gawped at him disappointedly. Some Slytherins giggled and other Gryffindors silently showed their anger, but Snape wasn't already finished: "And this would be for everyone in here who won't be able to proceed a shield charm to ward off the disarming spell I will cast on him. Queue now."

Some students protested, risked writing that essay anyway, but Alanis was lucky that this task included the Slytherins too and some of them failed with nonverbal spells as much as the others did. But Alanis wasn't satisfied entirely and so have been her friends.

But who else but Snape wouldn't have appreciated Alanis efforts, as well as she _did_ cast a very agreeable shield charm?

At the end of the lesson about half of the class was bound to write that bloody essay, Ron vocally troubled over it, as they entered the great hall for lunch

"Snape was always that unfair, Alanis, we should finally get over with it.", Hermione said, cleaning her plate hastily, to be ready of heading off to the library.

"But Alanis was brilliant! She did quite well facing Malfoy and Crabbe!", Harry protested and gorged some mouthful of treacle tart, while Alanis just pecked at her pudding. Alanis sighed heavily.

"But honestly Harry, I wasn't able to stand a chance against Malfoy's disarming charm. Additionally he casted a brilliant one to break my shield, just at the right moment with the right strength."

Harry clenched his teeth.

"That's what I just wanted to say. Malfoy was always skilled at the Dark Arts, but how did he improve that much? Did he have some special death eater training? I suppose he really had to attach importance to his duelling skills."

Hermione and Ron rolled her eyes , but Alanis glanced at the Slytherin table where Malfoy set, a blond Slytherin girl beneath him who stroke his hear and seemed to be the luckiest girl in the world, although the mind-absent Draco took no notice of her.

"Honestly Harry, will you ever stop suspecting Draco being a death eater?"

"I don't suspect him to be, I know that he is!"

"If you don't stop talking that rubbish I will wake you every morning with the _Levicorpus_ charm!", Hermione said angrily and Harry and Ron grinned from one ear to the other.

"You would use a Half-Blood-Prince charm to keep Harry quiet?", Ron asked teasingly and Alanis laughed. Hermione wasn't also able to prevent her from smiling back.

"Or it would just fit making you both breakfast that book."


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello out there! **

**This chapter was some kind of a real task to me, because it is the first which contents some really important revelations. I'm curious what you all will think at the end of it and will find out what funny thing is hidden inside. Can you guess?**

**Please let me know what you think and REVIEW! For my sake and the progress of the story as well! ;-)**

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><p>The news of Katie Bell being cursed was spread out like wildfire in Hogwarts. As tragically this was, the rumours of that possibly being an assassination attempt on Professor Dumbledore, outreached the bad news of Katie.<p>

That was what Harry had just been waiting for and suspected Draco Malfoy handing Katie Bell a cursed necklace and even spoke out to Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape. That wasn't only a curious accusation, it was quite a dangerous one too. If Draco would get to know about it, he certainly would not put up with that.

Professor McGonagall pretended that Draco had detention at hers, but Harry did not dissuade from his point of view. Harry wanted to tell Professor Dumbledore of his suspicion, but he was travelling until Christmas. Harry had been very upset about that, believing that Dumbledore abandoned his own school, while 'Draco tried something to endamage it'.

In fact, Draco Malfoy really did not play at the first seasonal Quidditch game and Gryffindor was therefore lucky to win the game, also with Ron's great keeper efforts.

But as he started snogging with Lavender Brown, Hermione just rushed out of the common room and Alanis followed her, knowing that she had to make a good job to cheer Hermione up.

She found Hermione in sitting at the floor in front of a window in the seventh floor, crying.

"I'm so sorry for you Hermione, that Ron is so ignorant and such an arse.", Alanis said silently and Hermione wiped away her tears, sniffing loudly.

"I don't care about whom Ron is kissing, it's his choice anyway. I just have to try to avoid him. You will you join me when I separate myself from him?", Hermione asked and tried to smile. Alanis nodded and sat down beneath her, looking at the half moon.

"I'd anyway do. But let's make the best we can out of it! I mean, why do we need some childish guys, when we could have some more pleasant acquaintances?", Alanis tried to cheer up her friend and patted her back.

"Such people like Draco Malfoy, you mean?", Hermione asked reproachfully. Alanis just stared at her.

"What do you mean by that?", Alanis asked suffering a snub.

"You're just like Harry, you know. I can see how you both look at other people. I realized how Harry stares at Ginny and how you stare at that bloody Malfoy."

"But... but he's bad! How would I therefore?", Alanis' voice shook heavily.

"I'm just mentioning what I saw. You have to get rid of that affection! He's the biggest moron I ever met! Beside Ronald, of course."

"I can't get rid of it, because there is nothing to get rid of!"

"It's the way how you behave when you see him, the way how you look at him in the lessons, and far worse, the way how he responds to you! Everyone could especially see that glances that shifted between you both in the last DADA lessons!", Hermione argued.

Alanis just stared at her, staggered. How could Hermione think of her having a crush on Draco Malfoy? She didn't even know that moron and was gradually likely to believe Harry's suggestions. If she was interested in that Slytherin boy, she just wanted as well blowing the whistle on him, together with Harry. But what did Hermione refer to with 'Draco responding to her'? If he'd being responding to something, she would have noticed it, wouldn't she?

"I just want to support Harry and that includes observing Malfoy!", Alanis protested, almost lost in her thoughts, but Hermione shook her head eagerly.

"Don't distract from the main theme! Please Alanis, be honest to yourself! Stop it before you really fall in love with him, he's no match for you! Alanis, I beg you to be careful, for your sake!", she answered.

Alanis stood up and to hide her becoming angry. She breathed heavily and closed her eyes to collect herself. How should she get rid of Hermione's accusations? But Hermione was her friend at it was naturally that she was able to read her. Hermione knew her and would always realize if some feelings grew up inside her. Alanis knew that Hermione was right, but she wasn't ready admitting it to herself. Anyway, what were glances able to prove, signifying or perpetrating?

"I will prove myself being worthy becoming a member of Dumbledore's Army and will help Harry preventing dark actions inside of this school. That's all."

Hermione didn't seem convinced, but she left it at Alanis' statement.

"I have to stretch my legs.", Alanis murmured, but Hermione looked sadly at her.

"And try to awaken to your feelings."

Alanis just snorted at her and walked down the corridor. Why couldn't Hermione care about her own mess with Ron? Why did she have to judge Alanis for something that did not even happen? Anyway, would Hermione be glad if Alanis really set that special feelings free? But had Alanis really been looking at Draco Malfoy in a way that proved her to be in love with him? Why should she have reason to? Was it some kind of fascination he fuelled in her? Even if he did, that had nothing to do with serious feelings. She would better look for a better match out of the other students and forget that bloody handsome face.

Suddenly she heard a very childish giggle in front of her. As she looked up she saw Draco Malfoy lurching around with a very handsome girl, who leeched onto Draco's arm. To Alanis' surprise they both didn't have very happy or pleased expressions on their face. Was that girl one of his hundreds of love affairs he had at Hogwarts?

Draco began to caress her hair and grabbed her fiercely, she giggled in amusement, which rather sounded as if she were a shrieking puberty vocal changing boy and he patted her shoulder with an angry gaze as if he wanted her to be quiet. They didn't seem to enjoy their companionship, as if they reluctantly touched each other. Draco took her arm and moved on, but his gaze froze on Alanis' face as if she just had discovered them doing something inappropriate.

Alanis frowned at the intense and angry gaze of Draco Malfoy. Why would Draco Malfoy react that astonished, that embarrassed when she discovered him hanging around with a girl? And anyway, why did he meet her in the seventh floor? He should know that he would there be likely to meet some Gryffindors, who could disturb him and his date.

_It's the way how you behave when you see him._

Alanis tried to gave her expression an easy-going look, but couldn't help herself stare at him and was much more surprised that he also seemed unable not to return her gaze. He placed a kiss on that girls cheek, after which she looked like she had to retch, but even then Draco didn't separate his gaze from Alanis as if he wanted to make sure she understood what he had been here for.

Anger raised up in Alanis and she once more thought of Harry's and Hermione's words. As the couple thrust past Alanis, she turned around to watch them, but she wasn't able to hold herself back.

"Are you taking comfort with that girl to forget about you abandoning your Quidditch team, Malfoy? How does it feel that Gryffindor crowed that losers of Slytherins?"

Malfoy hesitated and looked back at her, while that girl on his side pulled his arm to make him move and her expression was urging and stubborn. The more Alanis looked at that girl the more she thought that that girls' delicate features gradually got harsh and severe.

"That was just luck, with Bell being knocked out.", he answered through his clenched teeth. He looked like he had to force himself answering her.

Alanis squinted her eyes as she believed the skin of that girl getting a light tone of brown, and as if she was in great hurry, the girl pulled Draco's arm back with such an unsuspected strength, that Draco almost lost his balance. But Alanis was persistent.

"Did that book I recommended to you serve you?"

Draco narrowed his eyes, finally regaining his balance and annoyed pushed that girl away from him.

"What do you mean by that?", he asked fiercely.

"I hope you did find the right chapter about cursed magical artefacts?", she shot back, totally aware of what she risked at that moment. Malfoy was no fool, he would know what she was playing at. Malfoy now seemed to lose his complexion, as much as his date gained it.

"It was for no use.", he stumbled and pushed that girl back who still tried to drag him away. Did he treat all of his dates that way if he lost interest in them? If so, she would never even fancy getting involved with him.

"What a pity! However, I am sure you will perform all of your tasks with best efforts.", she answered and smiled wickedly at him and enjoyed how he responded to her.

_Responded to her._

He seemed to struggle with himself whether he should snap back at her or pretend to be unconcerned, while his hand wandered to his wand in his pocket.

"Miss Dumbledore!"

The three turned around to Professor Slughorn who waddled in Alanis' direction with a very pleased look at his face.

"It is good to see you, Miss Dumbledore! Mr Malfoy and... ugh...", he nodded at Malfoy and frowned befuddled at the look of that girl, as if he didn't remember having met her in his whole life. But she just smiled awkwardly at him, her face had changed in a grimace as if she was suffering great pain.

"I wanted you to hand out a personal invitation for my Christmas party! You may of course bring along a personal guest.", Slughorn said and handed Alanis out a pell, she just smiled thankfully in response, but Malfoy snorted at Slughorn's words. Just as Slughorn made his way down the corridor, Alanis glanced angrily at him.

"What's so funny about that?"

Malfoy smirked, obviously forgetting about the tense situation before.

"I doubt you'll be ever able to find an escort, Dumbledore. Who would like to get involved with you? These poor guys would always run the risk of being transfigured into a pig!", he tried to laugh, but she recognised him still being distraught by her comment, as his voice shivered.

But she felt herself blush slightly, returning his grin with a more evil one. Had he just been admitting that she was skilled in Transfiguration and that he respected it?

"I only consider someone transforming if he betrays me or lies to me. And I would prefer ferrets."

Draco's teasing expression changed only for a few moments, and she was hardly able to interpret it, but then he turned around and grabbed the arm of that girl.

"I'd better warn all those idiots who consider dating you!", he said and left, that girl looked more than relieved being able to leave and almost ran down the corridor.

Alanis smirked. But she wasn't really satisfied. If Slughorn would not have interrupted, she probably would have been able to corner him and find out more why they had been lurking around in the seventh floor. However, Harry would be very happy about that news of how Malfoy reacted. She was taking some steps further.

But at that moment she didn't even realize that Malfoy's words had hurt her too. Hurt her so much that she knew that proved she _was_ attracted by him. That was the most miserable thing at all.

**PLEASE REVIEW! Please!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello again! ****I currently feel quite good about the story's progress. I personally love that chapter and I hope that you'll enjoy it as well. I do not like messing around with long forewords, just because I am always annoyed of them^^ Just enjoy it! AND PLEASE REVIEW!**

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><p>"I hope you enjoyed dallying with that little girl up there, Draco.", Blaise spat angrily and rubbed his cheek as if he could still feel the kiss that Draco had placed on it.<p>

Draco sat down on his bed an watched Blaise removing the girl's clothes. His hair had still a slightly tone of blond, but the effect of the polyjuice potion had just faded away as they arrived at the Slytherin common room. That had been very close. Just some minutes longer and that bloody Dumbledore girl would have seen that the girl at Draco's side hadn't been a girl at all.

"That's fucking embarrassing, Draco. Ask those two trolls the next time if you need a guard that urgently. I will certainly not put on that stuff again, nor will I let you touch me, you pervert.", Blaise said and threw the skirt away to put on a pair of trousers.

"I suppose they will do much a better job than you did, Blaise! What the hell were you thinking of raising your voice? Even a deaf one could have recognized your male voice!", Draco said angrily. Blaise looked at him as if he wanted to kill him, but Draco laid down on the bed and sighed heavily. He was so tired.

Why couldn't he just fall to sleep? Why couldn't he just sleep and forget everything that troubled him?

"What were you doing in there, Draco? You owe me to tell.", Blaise said, while he looked into the mirror and examined his whole figure. How vain that guy was!

But Draco still asked himself how he managed to persuade Blaise swallowing polyjuice potion and transforming himself into a girl, just to be able convincingly keeping watch while he worked in the Room of Requirement.

"That's just my concern, Blaise." Draco grunted. He never told anyone about his task, about what he did in that room.

Voldemort ordered him to keep the whole mission as a secret, even if repairing the Vanishing Cabinet had nothing to do with his plan to assassinate Dumbledore. But now after all these months of hard work he had to admit that killing Dumbledore seemed rather easy than repairing that bloody pile of wood.

Furthermore he realised that having a companion whom he could tell everything would ease his task, give him new strength. But there was no way involving anyone else than himself.

Professor Snape anyway tried to loosen his tongue about his plans, although he was aware of his task, but not the exact progress, and even tried to use Legilimency on him, but Draco was skilled enough in Occlumency to fend him off. Snape was just a traitor and the Dark Lord would find out soon enough that Snape wasn't really working on the dark side. It always had seemed that Snape always hung at poise, being neither good nor evil. But Draco knew it better. Snape worked for Dumbledore and Draco therefore tried to avoid him as often as possible.

But could he afford losing his friends? Could he come up losing their loyalty to him, them still accepting him as their leader? Even if he didn't speak about his mission, he was able to impress and intimidate them with it and therefore was able to count on them as companions.

How long would that work? Would he lose them if he hence kept quiet about it? He ought not to care. They were curious, but even those who were at the dark side were afraid of the Dark Lord, and therefore they would not force Draco to be honest or to tell them exactly what he was doing. Their respect and fear would prevail and keep them at bay.

As Draco looked into the face of Blaise, he nevertheless felt the urgency of opening himself to someone. He wanted to get rid of the burden he had to carry, wanted to fell free as he did the years before. He indeed had had some problems with his father, he always wanted to be like him, to maintain the honour and prestige of the Malfoys, but all that seemed to be bygone concerns now.

At the moment he had to reinstall the Malfoy clan. It was on the ground and Draco had to build it up once more. He would succeed in assassinating Dumbledore. He would be the one who killed the most powerful mage, whom even Lord Voldemort dread. He would be the boy who succeeded.

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><p>Alanis almost spilled her elf-made wine as she tried to distance herself from the vampire who was on Slughorn's exotic guest list of his Christmas party and wished the buffet would contain some blood-flavoured lollipops to keep that strange creature at bay. He seemed to love looking greedily at all bare white-skinned female necks that were exposed.<p>

Alanis was glad to find Harry in the crowd, his companion Luna somewhere having a chat with Professor Trelawney. She unfortunately didn't manage taking anyone to the party, but honestly she wasn't putting much effort in finding an accompany for the evening. Additionally she always kept on putting it off. Whomever she might have asked, she would always have been lying to herself that she had been honest. Therefore it seemed much better for her attending the party alone.

"Where's Hermione?", Harry asked curiously, but Alanis grinned mischievously.

"She's on the run of McLaggen."

"McLaggen?", Harry repeated astonished.

"She think he's the one who would upset Ronald the most.", she answered shortly and refrained from laughing. That served Hermione right. If she'd rather coped with her mess with Ron than blaming Alanis for being affected by the handsome face of Draco Malfoy, she wouldn't be stuck with that narcissistic McLaggen.

The whole party was annoying, but Harry and Alanis made fun of the looks of other guests and passed the time helping themselves with the big amount of sweets at the buffet. As Harry took the third peace of his favourite treacle tart, Slughorn made his way to them and toasted them with a big smile on his face.

"Harry! Alanis! I hope that you're enjoying yourselves! Did I already introduce you both to Gwenog Jones?", he asked and Harry shook his head. Alanis could imagine that getting to know Jones would be great for Harry, but he seemed not very amused of Slughorn's presence.

"My dear Alanis! Albus always told me of your mother's wonderful singing voice and he pretended that you're gifted as well! Would it bother you if I'd ask you to give us a little sample?"

Alanis almost choked on her treacle fudge, but Harry patted her back.

_I would certainly not, Professor._

"I'd love to, Professor.", Alanis gulped and felt herself blush. Why did she just agree?

She was far too good-natured. Damn stupid Gryffindor mentality!

But it was already too late for withdrawing as Professor Slughorn let poor little Flitwick sit down at a pianoforte, who almost looked that shorttaken and unpleased as Alanis did. Before Alanis could realize what she was actually dragged into, Slughorn had already presented her to all of the guests and announced her being gladly performing, just as a favour for Professor Slughorn.

"And of course, my dear friends, we will now remember beloved Ambrosia and Gregory and listen to Alanis Dumbledore dedicating her song to her parents, may they rest in peace.", Slughorn said theatrically, but Alanis felt herself growing angry but weak at the same time.

It seemed to be so long ago that she had heard the names of her parents. She never really had spoken of them to anyone, never really had dared lamenting them and always had pushed their death away from her as if she refused to accept it.

Aberforth had kept her busy to forget her despair and pain, her friends avoided speaking of family, and Dumbledore just comforted her, if he had been present.

In fact, she'd never really said goodbye. She wanted to do it for herself and now Slughorn forced her to open, to show her feelings in front of any people she barely knew.

She stood there as if she had been petrified. She felt Harry concerned and looking for her gaze, but she just looked to the hand-woven carpet on the floor.

She'd never realized how much she missed her parents, what a great loss their death had been. And at that moment she felt alone, everything around her seemed to be as foreign as it did the first time. She thought of having found a new home at Hogwarts, but she was wrong. The warmth around her, the love of Dumbledore, even the cold of Aberforth, all of it didn't really mean anything to her in the sense of family or security.

_Music is the way into people's hearts, because it knows only one language, the love._

Her father had always told her that. But could she now speak that language? Could she find her voice again, after Slughorn's words made her speechless?

Music was like magic and magic was known to work wonders. And bloody hell, was she a witch or not?

Alanis took a deep breath and some steps to Professor Flitwick and quietly asked him, which piece they both knew and could now chose.

As soon as they were decided, Alanis stood beside him, and took a look to the crowd. She hated those sad, curious and amused expressions on their faces. Trelawney looked likely to predict Alanis soon having to face the same fate as her parents and Harry's face was covered with pity and she could see his own few memories of his family pass his mind. Slughorn grinned, not caring about her emotions, the discomfort he made her, but was happy about his next person that he could collect, the next tragic situation about he could swagger about the next years.

Alanis closed her eyes. If she should really sing now, it had just to happen for her and her parents. She would be able to overlook all those people in front of her.

She would sing in her own language, not willingly making all the others understand. And if they did, they would be ashamed of listening her, because they would realize the intimacy within it.

_Mum, Dad, I love you._


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello again, now here's the next chapter with another short introduction, because I think the story is anyway more important -). As you see, I really try to update the story daily and I hope that you all like the progress. **

**But PLEASE REVIEW! I'd love and appreciate to have some critics as well! **

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><p>Everything developed as Alanis expected from the very first sound that escaped her lips. The faces of the guests were marked with emotions that almost caused her to retch. Most of them stared at her deeply moved, their eyes filled with tears and compassionate sadness, reflecting the despair that was surging up inside her.<p>

These had been the emotions she had tried to avoid during the last months. Judging from Harry's expression, she knew that he'd already figured out how much pain that scene caused her and she hated his sight even more.

But to her, they all were empty, because no one of them could barely imagine how she felt.

Her whole body tensed and she felt as if she would not be able to continue, as pictures of her parents haunted her thoughts, especially from her mother, who was smiling warmly at her.

At that moment she knew that she would never ever sing again, for nobody, in no case, not even for her own sake.

She looked around exasperatedly seeking help, hoping that her torture would end soon.

If only one of them would be understanding her!

As she didn't find a pleasant direction where she could look to, she closed her eyes and decided not to hold back her emotions any more. If she really wouldn't sing again in her life, she wanted to savour it entirely at last. And that was only for herself. Perhaps that had been the only cause why she felt herself relax and her breath calm down.

She felt how her voice softened and got clearer and even happier. Then, she slowly opened her eyes and overlooked the crowd once more, all those dumb nondescript faces.

As she began to slightly enjoy it, she felt herself shiver as someone was looking at her, peering at and diving into her, not like those guests who were just watching her.

And she identified Draco Malfoy giving her that strong gaze. As her eyes met his, she saw him observing her with disbelief and joy too. A very intense feeling of happiness filled her up as she saw his tensed features smooth, his strong, worried and tired expression fade away.

There he stood, as if he'd been another person. That wasn't Draco Malfoy anymore. It was Draco Malfoy _himself_, no anger, no frustration, no exhaustion covering his face. This was even not a man's, but just a boy's face. It was pure, filled with delight, comfort and tranquillity.

Alanis felt her own expression brighten up as well, even blush as she realized that there was someone who could listen to her in the right way. Then she saw something she never believed to do.

Draco Malfoy smiled.

It was no smirk, no evil grin, not teasing or mocking, just a warm smile.

Suddenly everything else than Malfoy's smile seemed unimportant to her.

She'd done it. She'd spoken in the right language and Draco Malfoy was the one who could read and understand her. Slowly, very slowly she realized what that did mean.

He was the one.

He was the one she could speak to, even with no words, even with no voice.

A few moments before that realization reached the edge of her mind, a shrieking voice yelled through the whole room and quit her singing.

It was Filch.

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><p>"Hands off, filthy squib!", Draco snarled at the Hogwarts caretaker, but Filch didn't let go and dragged him right to Slughorn's office, his matted cat on their heels.<p>

Draco must have known better that hanging around in the seventh floor and heading to the Room of Requirement was totally stupid, when that massively overweight potions master celebrated his little private Christmas party with his favourites. He should have known that Filch would be lying in ambush for catching students who were likely to creep in.

Luckily this would serve Draco as excuse for him lurking around in that lost corridors, in the middle of the night.

Filch pushed Draco into the party room, which was opulently decorated with golden banners and it was filled with wizards and witches wearing remarkable but as well weird festival robes, most of them already drunk of the offered cold punch. Draco curled up his lips.

But what an exhilarant party that was!

The guests didn't seem a lot to enjoy themselves, because everything was silent. A very odd tension filled the room and the silence was quite too eerie for his taste.

But actually, there was no silence, because it was broken through by a very clear and bright voice. Draco stiffened as he listened to it. That voice was very young, but sounded song was soothing, sad and solemn as well. But what first seemed to overwhelm him with sadness, cheered him up and he felt his blood boil with excitement and sober mirth.

He suddenly felt ready to take on anything.

He felt that Filch's hard grip around his shoulder loosened and he quickly shook his bony hand off and wiped his coat as if he wanted to get rid of Filch's touch entirely. Then he took some steps closer to the crowd that gathered around a little pianoforte.

Although he jostled some guests, they didn't even seem to notice him, were totally caught by that angelic voice.

Draco shook his head. There was nothing angelic on it. It was just a singing voice!

Then he stretched himself and looked at the girl who sang. He couldn't believe his eyes and his ears as well as he looked directly into that face of the Dumbledore girl. He'd never expected her being that gifted!

_No_, he said to himself. She wasn't gifted, many people had a good singing voice and that girl was nothing special. The sound of her voice might have been nice and warm, but there was no way anymore now that he could enjoy it.

But holy crap, he still felt his body aching for more of it. Her voice was intriguing and even better was the awkward look on her face. She was filled up with disgust and she looked into the crowd as she was rather likely shouting at them than giving her voice to them. And there was sadness too, deeply hidden inside her resentful and reluctant gaze.

She was definitely not enjoying this and Draco bet his head that she was forced by Slughorn to do that. Poor little girl. But he was amused that how hard little Gryffindor one had to keep her temper.

She was almost in the same mood as Draco was. She had to use her skills for something she didn't want to do and therefore it annoyed her and she hated her talent. Draco had always been proud of being that skilled at the Dark Arts, but now he had to use, more likely abuse them for Voldemort.

And then she riveted on his face and he could see her frowning slightly and her mouth twitch with a faint smile.

He never ever expected himself answering to her looks that obviously as he did now. In fact he had already been outstaring her, but now as her gaze rested on his face and seemed to give her new strength and confidence, he wasn't able hold himself back. As if it was the most natural thing he could ever do, he felt his body be filled up with happiness as if he floored a bottle of liquid luck. And then he just smiled at her. It was a pure smile, just for her, him responding to her, more than he ever did since he beheld her.

At that moment Filch managed to catch him again.

"Professor! Professor! I found him lurking around out there!", he suddenly cried, his voice filled with fervour and shook Draco roughly to confirm his words. Professor Flitwick immediately stopped playing the piano and that little Dumbledore girl blushed from anger. Draco realized that even if she was singing reluctantly, she insisted on being treated with due respect and cutting her off was definitely not the right way to do it.

"What's the matter, Argus?", Slughorn asked, his voice sleepy as if he had just been woken up from a very intense daydream.

Draco grunted, for his own sake he would minimise that mess.

"Ok, ok I was trying to creep in.", he said hastily.

Some guests cleared their throat and Slughorn ordered the band to strike up with music again and soon the guests were split into little groups and seemed to have forgot that unpleasant interruption.

Slughorn then turned around to face Filch and Draco, followed by Professor Snape, to Draco's misfortune. When would that bloody traitor leave him be?

"Argus, let that poor boy go! It's Christmas, let him join us, why should he being left alone down there in that cold corridors! Let us celebrate together!", he said and Draco pretended to thankfully bowed his head, watching out for that Dumbledore girl from the corner of his eyes. But she seemed have vanished, perhaps somewhere sulking in a corner of the castle, caressed by the mudblood Granger. But that bloody Potter still stood there and looked curiously at him.

"I think that Mr Malfoy should not be rewarded for his impudence, Professor. I anyway have to talk to him.", Snape said intensively from behind and Slughorn cocked his eyebrow at him.

"Don't be too severe to your students, Severus! All of them deserve to celebrate the greatest event of the year!", Slughorn said and handed Draco a cup if that cold punch.

But Snape ignored him and stepped closer, while Draco backed away, shooting killing glances at him.

"I will escort him out."

Draco straightened up.

"Sure, Professor.", he spat the words at Snape and turned around on his heels to leave.

He breathed deeply. He knew what he now had to face, but he would be prepared.

Draco would fend Snape off as best as he could and had already done, although it became harder with every time that Draco failed repairing the cabinet in the Room of Requirement.

Unfortunately, there was hardly a time that Draco made rapid progress.

But he would always succeed keeping that traitor Snape at bay.

**Please review! **


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys! It's Christmas time^^. Just have some problems with the content of the following chapters, so I fear I won't be able to update daily, but I really will go to great lengths to satisfy you!**

**Please keep going on to review! I really like your comments and suggestions (thumbs up for them^^)!**

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><p>"Stand up, girl! I need you downstairs. Now!"<p>

The door of her room smashed and Alanis was left alone. She slightly opened her eyelids and looked up.

"Good morning to you too, Aberforth." she murmured angrily and stood up, flipping away a bug from the edge of her tiny bed and took a look through the dirty window. Aberforth let her do so much work in the Hog's Head that she barely found any time to clean at least her room to make her life in there a bit liveable. But as much as she tried to, there was no chance getting this pub somehow like clean.

Aberforth disliked her being around anyway. He didn't seem to love her as much as Albus pretended to do. Alanis had still confronted him with his reluctance and asked, even begged if she could move to Albus Dumbledore, but he went mad as she had mentioned it. Aberforth disdained Albus and there was no chance of calming him down.

But Alanis had to agree with Aberforth that Albus couldn't care less of taking care of a teenage girl, even if there were just a few months left to her adulthood. Additionally, as much as Aberforth was annoyed about Alanis living with him, he pretended to let Alanis only over his dead body be under the wings of Albus Dumbledore.

Alanis knew of Albus' past and the death of his sister Ariana. She had been a poor girl and her death was horrible. Aberforth was never able to forgive Albus for being related to the mage Grindelwald and accused him causing Ariana's death.

Alanis had often sat in front of the painting of young Ariana and talked to her. Ariana was her only companion while she'd lived in the Hog's after her parents died.

She blamed Aberforth not being able to come up with her daughter's death. He had disliked Alanis' father, because he'd animated her mother to resettle to Norway and Aberforth thought him dragging his daughter away from him.

Additionally she was hurt that he didn't even try to lament her parents, to lower the pain, and rather treated Alanis as if he made her responsible for everything. As if he asked himself why his daughter had to die and his grandchild was still alive.

Alanis was hurt, but she tried to forgive him. But now, after almost half a year, at Christmas, things had not changed a lot. As much as Alanis tried to adapt herself with these conditions, she never would forgive him even not trying to improve their relationship.

How could she therefore bear being stuck with him at Christmas?

She'd really wanted to stay at Hogwarts, but Aberforth attempted to get her away from Albus Dumbledore, even if that was only possible for Christmas holidays.

Alanis didn't even expect something from Aberforth, not a Christmas dinner, not even a present. But she wanted to go back to Hogwarts. Even if she had been alone there, because all of her friends had left, she would be more likely sitting in the dungeons trying to improve her potions skills.

She quickly pulled some clothes out of her trunk, which she refused to unpack to show how unwillingly she was to live here. As she headed to the living room, she found a glass of milk and some bread for breakfast at the table.

"Good morning and happy Christmas, Ariana.", Alanis said to the portrait and was able to raise a small smile from the moony face of Ariana.

Just as Ariana sat down, an owl arrived and delivered a little note to her:

_Dearest Alanis,_

_I hope that you are enjoying your holidays quite well. However, I would be pleased if you would join the Christmas dinner at Hogwarts today. I would like to hand you your present personally._

_Albus_

A big smile ran over her face. Christmas could be saved for her! She headed down to Aberforth.

"Abe!", Alanis said excitedly and saw him standing at the bar and rubbing some goblets with a filthy rag, as he always seemed to do. He flinched. He didn't like her calling him Abe, but it was her form of trying to get closer to him.

"I got an invitation for Christmas dinner at Hogwarts! May I go today?", Alanis asked him. Aberforth frowned and stopped cleaning.

"Who invited you?"

Alanis breathed deep and Aberforth immediately understood.

"So then it's no. I want you to stay here."

"But Albus wants to give me my Christmas present personally. I want to join the other students who stayed at the castle."

"I thought that none of your friends stayed."

Alanis hold her breath and held back her answer. He was wrong, there was still someone in the castle, whom she didn't count as friend, but as...mate.

"But you can't bar me from celebrating Christmas! I... You...!"

"Don't hesitate, girl, just say out loud that you are tired of being stuck with me! Just say that you hate the Hog's head!", he shouted angrily and threw the rag away.

Alanis clenched her fists and shook her head, restraining herself from obeying him willingly.

"Don't be so unfair! Can you imagine, why I am not comfortable? Because you never welcomed me, never even tried to give me a new home, never remembered being my grandfather!", Alanis spat and wiped away her tears. "You've lost your daughter, but I've lost my parents too!"

Aberforth pressed his lips together and she saw him swallowing down heavily.

"You can do whatever you want, girl. But don't you dare involve me in some of Albus' business! If you do, you'll be much less a grandchild to me than you still are!", he grumbled and Alanis was just overwhelmed by him being so stubborn and clattering around on her emotions.

She headed back to the steps, more and more tears running down her cheeks.

"Hold on, girl. You still have some work to do."

Alanis turned around slowly, not believing what she'd just heard.

"Will you ever start calling me by my name? It's Alanis!", she whispered, but Aberforth just looked at her angrily and pointed at the guest room.

"After you cleaned it, you will be off to get some food."

Alanis suppressed her sobs and turned back stiffly.

The sooner she finished, the sooner she would be able to leave. But there was still a problem. How should she get to Hogwarts if she had to pass the safety arrangements?

Would the invitation of Dumbledore be enough to pass the aurors?

In the evening she was exhausted from her work and just wished to go to sleep, but she pulled out her blue dress she already wore at Slughorn's party and fitted perfectly to her eyes and dressed for the Christmas dinner. She used some Transfiguration spells to let her hair fall back in soft waves and put her black festival robe over her shoulders. Then she walked down to the living room. Ariana's eyes seemed to follow her and Alanis faced the portrait as she felt observed and taken by surprise.

"Don't look at me like that, Ariana! Aberforth told me that he doesn't care about what I'm doing! He even didn't mind me wishing merry Christmas!", Alanis shrugged.

"Ok, I did not wish him merry Christmas as well. And I regret it, of course.", she sighed and Adriana's expression on the canvas seemed to brighten up.

"But I still don't know how to get to the castle. Should I walk up to the castle and face the aurors? I fear they won't let me in.", Alanis said and nervously let her hand ran through her hair.

But then Ariana smiled at her and Alanis frowned as her figure took one step behind. Suddenly the portrait swung open and revealed a secret tunnel behind.

"Ariana? What does that mean?"

But Ariana would not speak like other portraits, anyway. Did Ariana want her to walk down this tunnel? Where would it lead to?

"_Lumos_.", she said as she took her wand and held it in front of her.

Then she slowly walked down the tunnel, whatever she might face at the end of it. But she realized almost immediately that this tunnel lead to Hogwarts.

She opened another door and found herself in a small corridor full of mirrors which reflected the warm light of torches on the walls. She looked into the mirrors and was pleased to look at herself. She felt comfortable imagining entering the Great Hall dressed like this. It took away all her bad feelings about Aberforth and just left anticipation.

She quickly headed down the corridor and opened another door to finally find herself in the seventh floor of the Hogwarts castle. She turned around to look back and orientate herself, but the door which she just had passed, had vanished! Had they been some kind of special magic acted out by Ariana? But there could be no way that a portrait used magic.

But why did the door disappear?

Then she reminded herself of Hermione's stories about the DA. Hermione had told her of the Room of Requirement which turned into any room a person needed.

Was this room that special room? But why did it lead directly to the Hog's Head? Was the magic of the Rom of Requirement reaching that far?

She was really irritated but collected herself and headed down the staircase to the Great Hall.

Now there was nothing left to prevent her from celebrating Christmas.

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><p>Draco didn't really enjoy the Christmas dinner. Only a few students remained at the castle, mostly some Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws and two little Gryffindor first class students.<p>

There was just Zabini Blaise who stayed with him and Draco felt as if he watched him. Blaise still seemed to be upset having surrendered to him dressing like a girl to guard him. Draco felt as if there was another reason, which he wasn't yet able to discover, but Blaise almost seemed likely to watch him.

Everyone had to sit down at one single but table in the Great Hall, because of the small group of students. Eleven students 'enjoyed' their Christmas dinner, next to the Headmaster, who's seated himself at the head of the table. Some other Hogwarts staff members sat there too, like Trelawney, McGonagall, Slughorn and bloody Snape.

Draco's body tensed.

It was such a bad idea remaining at the castle. For sure, he had time to think about his further steps with his mission, but that empty castle didn't give him some kind of cover.

Snape followed him everywhere since that conversation after Slughorn's party and it was hard to get rid of him. Snape was persistent and observed him everywhere, and pretended to want to help Draco with his task, he even did the Unbreakable vow to his mother to protect him.

And now Draco had to sit here with all that people and especially Dumbledore. He felt himself likely to vomit, but immediately quaffed a cup of pumpkin juice to fill up his stomach. But then the portal was opened carefully slowly and all of them looked up to see the Dumbledore girl enter.

Draco couldn't believe his eyes as he looked at her. He was delighted to see her but didn't dare to watch her for a long time, until he would form an opinion about her appearance that night. There was no way he could afford considering her beautiful.

But what did she do here? He thought of her having left the castle during the holidays.

"Ah, Alanis, I'm glad you followed my invitation as much as the other ones in here did! Sit down and join in!", Dumbledore greeted her and Alanis walked to the table with red cheeks.

Draco mentioned her avoiding looking around. After everyone greeted her and continued eating, Alanis looked up. But she didn't just look up. She directly looked into Dracos face.

Her blue eyes were filled with joy and the more he looked at her the more he reckoned her suitable outfit, the beautiful dress she wore. He did never think of her being able to increase her beauty.

_Her beauty? Did you hit your head at the Vanishing Cabinet?_

It was hard for him not look at her delicate features, but he ordered himself remaining calm and unconcerned. Perhaps he was just lucky to see another face amongst these sleeping pills around him.

As the dinner was finished, Draco almost fled from the Great Hall, muttering some silly excuse to Zabini and headed to the staircase.

After he slowed down his pace, he took a deep breath.

He could have no longer bore being in the same room as that girl. Something about his thoughts about her changed in him and he ran hot and cold on her.

He blamed that intense gaze between them at Slughorn's party, but partially he blamed his desire for her that he already had at the very beginning of that school year and his virile urgencies which he had been neglecting for the last weeks.

_Damned__ thing down there_, he thought, as his trousers began to seem being too tight.

And now she had heated him up like a campfire with just looking innocently but also venturously at him.

Was he actually getting mad, maybe because of the pressure of his mission?

He would welcome it as a very agreeable excuse.

**PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey! Here's the next chapter containing some of the first clues for the progress of the story. Thank you for your reviews, they really cheer me up! ;-) Please enjoy reading and keep on reviewing!**

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><p>As Draco finally reached the seventh floor, he tried to calm himself down and concentrate. All he needed now was the Room of Requirement, his work would ease his excitement. This little girl would not distract him from the path he would take.<p>

He reached the corridor in the seventh floor which led to the Room of the Requirement, but somebody was already standing there.

_Bloody hell_, he thought_, did this girl track him?_

"Looking for something?", he asked and smirked as he noticed her turning around alarmed. She obviously wanted to enter the Room of Requirement too. She tightened her grip around a book which was obviously a present from Dumbledore.

_Advanced Transfiguration of Animate Objects._

"Just sod off, Malfoy.", the Dumbledore girl said, but her voice was too nice and friendly to him.

He smirked another time.

"I would be careful talking to a Prefect like that, Dumbledore."

She laughed out loud and it shortly reminded him of her singing voice, which he now found out being treasured inside him. What did that girl do to him?

"You don't deserve that title, Malfoy. It is more than embarrassing how you neglect your duties. So just leave me be and join your Slytherin footman, or maybe your _footgirls_?", she said and turned her back on him. He almost lost his temper at her words and stepped closer until his lips almost touched her ear and he couldn't keep himself from inhaling her scent, as he leaned forward and said:

"If you prefer going back to your wonderful domicile at Hogsmeade, I won't be in your way. I have to be honest, I would rather live in the shrieking shack than even passing such a fusty and filthy shed like the Hog's Head."

He expected her being upset, even pointing his wand at him, but she just turned around and chuckled and shivering of having him felt a little too close.

"Honestly Malfoy, in spite of you being a nerve-racking ferret, you could not have said it better."

Draco leaned back and looked baffled at her.

"Was that some kind of compliment? You change your mind quite fast, Dumbledore."

Alanis shook her head and her smile got mischievous.

"I just wanted to see exactly that look on your face! And you gawp cockeyed, but be careful this sometimes leaves horrible marks on pretty faces like yours.", she mocked, but he reckoned as he looked in her eyes, that she'd been honest with her words. She hated the Hog's Head.

"Don't worry, Dumbledore, my face is not as much pretty as yours, so I'm quite out of danger.", he said, but regretted it immediately. The last thing on earth he wanted to tell her that he thought of her being pretty. But Draco didn't give her time to collect some words and her mind as well.

"Just tell me how do you want to leave the castle, hanging around in the seventh floor?"

"I just wanted to take this book to the common room."

She held the book out in front of her and almost bumped it into his chest.

"You had better times being convincing, Dumbledore."

"But what about you?"

"I just followed Professor Slughorn to apologize for disrupting his party."

His answer was just so ridiculous that he had to struggle with himself to restrain his own laughter. But Alanis anyway seemed to roar with laughter as she read his grimace.

"And you had better times lying, I suppose!"

Draco grew angry. He wanted to enter that bloody room and didn't want that girl to see him doing it. How could he get rid of her?

"I would be pleased if you then just would go to your dormancy and leave me alone.", he snapped.

"You are the one who should be leaving! I dare to remember that Dumbledore forbid it to wander around in the corridors at night!"

Draco stepped closer.

"Leave now, Dumbledore."

"Leave, Malfoy."

They just stared at each other, angrily and impatiently. But Draco avoided diving into her intense gaze, as he felt his core boil with rage and his still present arousal let him feel as if he needed to buy a new pair of trousers or a find nice quiet spot where he could get rid of his little problem. But the Room of Requirement would serve as well...

At almost the same time they turned their backs at each other and walked away in different directions. Draco looked back at her over his shoulder.

How was that girl walking hip-wiggling!

He chuckled. Such a big nonsense.

Perhaps it would really serve him retiring for a few moments.

About half an hour later Draco managed to get into the Room of Requirement without any interruptions. It just turned into the room if hidden things, which he considered as his personal room. The Vanishing Cabinet which he had to repair was hidden there.

As soon as he managed to repair it, it would serve as a secret an secure path to Hogwarts. Some death eaters would enter the school through it when he would kill that silver bearded antique-headmaster.

The Dark Lord threatened to kill his parents if he was unsuccessful with his mission. In fact, the Dark Lord only wanted to punish his father for failing collecting the Prophecy at the Department of Mysteries with giving Draco an almost unaccomplishable task . But Draco wouldn't fail, he would be the one regaining the honour that the Malfoy clan deserved and owned for hundreds of years.

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><p>Alanis stood at the entrance of the Room of Requirement and was totally overwhelmed. How amazing that room was! It just had changed into something like a huge cathedral, filled with old rubbish like broken and damaged furniture, thousands of books, their scattered and ripped out pages covered the floor and shelves with bottles of strange looking and perilously shimmering liquids or ingredients.<p>

She also discovered some Dark Detectors, probity probes, secrecy sensors, that she reckoned from her father's work and even a broken pensieve.

She wondered how many people had hidden their stuff in there that they wanted to get rid off or know safely secured. She passed a broken table, which lacked a leg, and shivered as she looked right into the face of a padded gnome.

Then she noticed a very awkward sounding noise and followed its direction where it came from. An old record table caused a strange howling tune that was really annoying . But between those piles of broken furniture she wasn't able to reach it to silence it down.

But then a ear-piercing noise, much more unbearable echoed through the whole room. It sounded as if something cracked, or even exploded and she was able to hear a furious outcry. She was horrified. It didn't sound like somebody was harmed, but it sounded as if somebody was likely to destroy everything around him.

Alanis took some unsecure steps to the place where that noise came from. There were a few more grunts and cracking noise, as if somebody was tampering with something very bulky. Alanis peeped around the corner and saw Draco Malfoy pulling on a door of a huge, black wardrobe. But as she looked closer at it she recognized what it was.

It was it's strange pointed shape, the dark wood, the special marquetry and silver ornaments on it that made it unique. This was definitely a Vanishing Cabinet, a very old and rare one too.

Her father often had to free and find people who were lost inside those cabinets.

What did Draco Malfoy want with a Vanishing Cabinet? It actually seemed that he tried to repair it, she anyway considered it being broken as it was placed in that room. Was this the task of Malfoy that Harry wanted and was about to discover? If it was, a Vanishing Cabinet would be no threat to the school, nor would it be something that bothered the Dark Lord.

Would Draco want to hide inside it? But what would he hide from?

Considering Harry's suggestions there was a reasonable possibility. If Malfoy really had to fulfil a task for Voldemort and failed, the Dark Lord would punish him for that. Draco would be able to hide in that special cabinet until it was over and done with. But was Voldemort someone who could forgive? Wouldn't he summon someone or even _something_ to hunt Draco Malfoy down?

She sighed deeply and her whole body trembled while she reflected how she should move on. Should she stay and try to spy on him? Our should she hurry back to the Hog's just persuading herself that she just imagined Draco Malfoy concocting something?

But why hiding from the truth? She should be brave and curios! She still struggled with herself and forced her to take some steps forward, and if fate had its fingers in the pie she stumbled over some leaky cauldrons and bumped to the floor.

"Who's there?"

Alanis pressed her lips together to prevent her from crying out in pain, as she felt that her foot was jammed and she couldn't free herself. She just tried to make no sound any more.

"What are you doing here?", Draco cried out and his face grew pale as he hurried around the corner and discovered her. Malfoy's expression was horrified and he already pointed his wand at her as he stepped closer to her, half of his face and his clothes covered with dust and cobwebs.

Alanis grimaced and tried to free her leg, but it just caused her much more pain.

"How did you get in here? Are you spying on me?", Draco shouted at her and Alanis shook her head, moaning with pain.

"Would you be so kind to warm up your Slytherin heart and help me?", she panted and felt that her dress ripped, as he begrudgingly reached out for her hand and pulled her to her feet. He quickly let her hand go as if he'd touched a crumple-horned snorkack. But she anyway had no time to think about her clothes or her injured leg, because Draco still pointed his wand at her, stepping closer.

"Don't!", cried Alanis, as Draco almost stepped on her new book which lay down to their feet.

"You still have that book.", he mumbled as he looked where she was pointing at.

"I just decided to hide it, because Hermione would probably be jealous.", Alanis said hastily, but Draco grunted fiercely.

"Just stop this! That's preposterous! I'm anyway not very interested in your concerns, true or not.", Draco shouted at her and then pressed his wand against her throat. Draco looked likely to kill her only for seeing him working on a Vanishing Cabinet. "Don't tell anyone that you saw me in here, Dumbledore, for your own sake!"

Alanis nodded quickly, still panting heavily, but not only because of her foot. She'd never seen such a furious, sinister and intimidating expression in his face. Additionally she wondered why he had been so merciful with her. He could have done anything to her, when she was trapped down there to his feet, making her swear that she would keep her mouth shut or even could have erased her memories. But he'd let her go, even helped her.

Perhaps all of that was not as serious as Alanis supposed. Draco perhaps just wanted to be alone and had observed that cabinet, with no concrete purpose.

"Just make sure that I won't have to pass your way anymore, Dumbledore.", Draco said to her and put his wand back into his robe, turned around and walked away.

That was all. Now he left and Alanis had to leave too, returning to the Hog's Head, overwhelmed by her feelings. Alanis cried out reluctantly, but quickly pressed her hand against her mouth to quieten herself. Draco jerked to a halt and cocked his eyebrows at her.

"Would you like to do me a favour?"

Her voice was nothing more than a whisper. She just imagined him being more than surprised, rooted to the spot and didn't dare to look at him.

"Keep going teasing me, that I wouldn't be able to leave. Just make me stay, because I don't want to return to that morose one of a grandfather.", she mumbled.

Was she actually asking him to stay with her? Asking Draco bloody ferret Malfoy?

But Malfoy remained silent anyway and therefore forced her to look at. Then a big evil smile covered his face and all of his sudden furiousness disappeared.

"You actually want me to mock you? I would be careful with that."

"Just go on."

He looked really baffled at her, not even amused.

"This is ridiculous, Dumbledore. That's no fun. Just leave me be with your childish plays."

But why didn't Malfoy catch the chance? Maybe because she wouldn't mind being hurt and that wasn't the real purpose he was always playing at. She just wanted to use him and Draco Malfoy would not ever dare letting himself being 'abused' for anything. Or did he, was forced to do it by Voldemort?

"You owe me. We're not even yet."

Alanis clenched her fists. How stupid she was, how embarrassing and childish she acted! Was she really that desperate that she didn't care making a fool of herself?

"_Even_? How would I ever dare being even with a Gryffindor! Just bear being a weak little girl, Dumbledore. It seems anyway that you never be anything more than that.", he said annoyed and she reckoned that he would never be in the same mood than he had been before, teasing her. She remained silent, saw Malfoy avoiding her gaze and then he finally left.

Now, after that little scene in here, they would grow to real enemies. They'd been natural Hogwarts-house rivals before, had just enjoyed the thrill of teasing each other, but now all of that would be gone. He was the dark and she was the light.

After she'd been alone for some moments, she sighed.

What the hell had that been?

What the hell was she thinking of doing?

But whatever she did, she had to return to Hogsmeade. If the Room of Requirement answered to her thoughts, she immediately found the door which led back into the secret passageway.

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	10. Chapter 10

**Hey guys!**

**Finally I do think I've solved the little problems in my storyline and can continue much easier, but I hope that you will still enjoy this story as much as I do! I really do hard work on it and do not want to disappoint my readers... This chaper will be one of my favourites, I suppose, and I love the development of it...**

**Just keep und reviewing and tell me you opinion about it ! Enjoy!**

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><p>Alanis woke up less reluctantly than the last morning. She was happy being able to leave that awful night of the day before behind and was lucky and surprised to find a large amount of Christmas presents at the foot of her bed. And this time there was even no harsh voice of her grandfather ordering her to work.<p>

She sighed happily and leaned forward to catch the biggest of the packages. It was a woollen pullover of Mrs Weasley in the colour of emerald green ink. She also got a nice collection of books from Hermione (_The ambitious witch and her enemies on her way to fame_) and Harry (_Quidditch through the ages_), a bunch of sugar quills from Ron, a bottle of gylliwater from Ginny and even a pair of radish earrings from Luna. She immediately put the pullover on and happily began to read the letter from Hermione.

"Alanis!"

Alanis grunted, emerged from her room and ran down to the taproom, stomping angrily with her feet. But her heart rose with excitement as she reckoned Aberforth finally calling her by her first name.

"Why can't I just unpack my presents in peace! Why do you have to call me when there's nothing to-!"

But then she stood still. Aberforth wasn't the only man there in the pub. Dressed in a long black coat, black gloves and a green scarf with silver embroideries, Draco Malfoy stood at the doorsill and looked like if he'd just recognized that coming there was a bad idea.

She could only agree to him, as she returned his gaze. Draco expression was very unhappy and he seemed to be likely to vanish into thin air.

"Malfoy.", Alanis stuttered. Suddenly a smirk ran over his face and Alanis reckoned that she stood there in nothing but her shorts and that pullover, her hair a completely mess, her eyes still full of sleep. Most inconspicuously as possible she tried to arrange her hair and pulled down the pullover to cover her bare white-skinned legs.

Draco took some steps forward and held out something wrapped in brown paper.

"You forgot it yesterday."

Alanis took the parcel trying not to touch his fingers, unpacking the _Advanced Transfiguration_ book she got from Dumbledore.

"Thank you.", she whispered but big question marks whirled around in her mind.

Why did he come to give it to her? He could have cared less about her book. Yesterday evening made it clear that they were now natural enemies, even if they obviously enjoyed teasing each other.

Why did he come? At Christmas Eve?

To that old shed?

To her?

"I needed some fresh air anyway.", he said an shrugged, as if he just read her mind, his face motionless, but his glistering grey eyes rested on her bare feet. Alanis looked down to the ground and repeated her words of thanks.

He was Draco Malfoy, the invidious Slytherin prince, who would never even dare to be seen with a Gryffindor! Why did he take the risk of planting rumours? As much as Alanis wanted to ask Draco honestly what the hell he had been doing here, she reminded herself that her grandfather was still standing there and observing them.

"Can I offer you something? You must be half frozen!", she said shyly, knowing how ridiculous it was to invite Draco Malfoy to stay.

Draco backed away and shook his head as if he just realized a second time that he regretted stepping in. He bumped into the door and looked as if he had to run away from her. He opened the door and took a step out, as he suddenly hesitated and asked her in passing:

"Would you like to join my walk?"

Alanis just opened and shut her mouth several times in amazement.

What the bloody hell did this mean? Was she actually awake?

Could Draco Malfoy really be asking her for having a walk?

She could not find any words, but pulled out her wand and saw him twitching his eyelids for half of a second and mumbled some spells to transform her sleeping-shorts into a suitable pair of jeans. She quickly pulled on her boots and her coat and followed him outside.

She couldn't believe herself having a walk with Draco Malfoy!

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><p><em>What has driven me to do this? After all what happened yesterday?<em>

Draco asked himself how often this questions had passed his mind in the past few minutes.

He wanted to clear his mind and unfortunately this girl was linked to his whole bloody awkward situation. Since the last day she was even more a danger to him and he was a danger to her too. The last night had proven it in the best way.

It was not just that he really had to get off his dark thoughts, even if they were connected to that little girl, he wanted to see that little girl. Although he threatened her to stay away from him the day before, he had been sleepless and restless since that night.

But how she looked, bloody hell!

Although she was obviously wearing one of these horrible Weasel-jumpers, she'd looked really nice in her shorts, her hair all up in a mess, her face showing more than surprise to him.

And he had to admit how skilled she was at Transfiguration once more, as she dressed herself with a nice pair of black jeans.

But what made him to take her that book? He'd never ever done anyone a favour, especially a favour that he even was not asked for.

And far worse, what made him having a walk with her?

He knew that this little Dumbledore witch already asked herself the same questions, perhaps why she'd just agreed to him too. They were both curious of finding out what had driven them to that awkward situation, but they were just overwhelmed by their own thoughts. Their thoughts hunted both their minds and let them walk through the village in complete silence.

And that was the best of it.

The silence veiled them heavily, but built up some kind of comfort.

Draco was even able to say that he gradually began to enjoy it.

Beside her person, the Dumbledore girl seemed to be the best companion he could have ever imagined. She was just silently walking at his side, looking at the snow covered rooftops and trees, enjoying the dim sunlight shining on her face.

With her by his side he began to forget about his mission, even to forget who he was, who she was. They just walked. Further and further, with no real target, but satisfied with this silence around them.

He was not able to remember when he felt that good in his whole life.

They finally made a halt when they reached the shrieking shack. The Dumbledore girl walked to the fence and looked at the shack with different expressions.

"I never went that far to see it.", she murmured, more to herself than to him, but broke the silence.

Draco would never have admitted him being superstitious, but that shack had always made him shiver. It was as if there was some different atmosphere around it. It felt almost as dangerous as being near the Dark Lord.

And he remembered those snowballs which seemed to come out from nowhere in the third year, and although he knew that these had been all bloody Saint Potter's act, as he used his invisibility cloak, he was still frightened from the memory.

"I have to admit that the Hog's Head is a lot nicer than the shrieking shack. But you should give it a good clean, Dumbledore. I could borrow you some house elves!", he said and rubbed his hands to hide them trembling. What made him so nervous?

"I think the only way being able to clean that 'shed' is putting fire on it."

Draco tried hard to suppress his laughter.

"You obviously prefer the bigger kind of campfires, do you?"

The Dumbledore girl shrugged and her breath emerged in little clouds of her mouth.

"It's just because there are so many people who have to be helped warming up their ice-cold stone-hearts or still have to learn how to deal with fire."

"Like the Chosen Captain you think?", he asked, but somehow he knew she was referring to her grandfather Aberforth.

"Or some clinging snakes."

Draco smirked and looked at the demolished and rotten rooftop of the shack.

"I'm happy to be a dragon, then."

"So don't fly too high, little one."

But she did not seem to be as amused as he was. Didn't she want him to tease her like the last day? In fact, she countered him brilliantly. So why that bad mood?

Perhaps just because of the same reasons he had. As much as they both were enjoying this, it felt wrong.

"I guess you would catch me if I fall.", he countered with joy in his voice, but a little too silent.

She looked at him from the side and finally smirked too.

"Don't overestimate yourself, Malfoy."

"Miss Dumbledore, I can assure you with all I have, that this would be the last thing on earth I would ever do!"

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><p>"I will certainly not be your slave any longer!", Alanis shouted and threw away the broom with which she just cleaned the pub.<p>

Aberforth's face got red as he took some eager steps to where she stood.

"As long as you're living in this house you'll help whenever I need you!"

Alanis took some steps behind and her whole body trembled.

"But you never considered asking me for your help. You always order and I won't accept you treating me like a house elf! I am still your relative, your granddaughter!", she claimed and crossed her arms.

"You think that I can afford you living here easily? You do think that it's easy for me caring for you? Wrong! You have to earn your keep as much as I do, as long as you are here!"

Alanis pressed her lips together. Why couldn't he just accept her? Why couldn't he understand that she needed a family where she could live in, not a workhouse?

"You won't get anything free in your whole life. Even if you maybe won't listen to me wanting to teach you that, I am right! And I have to prepare you for your daily life!"

Alanis swallowed down her tears.

"But I need a home where I can go to if I seek help, even considering your advice, where I can go to, if I am lost. I need shelter, shelter full of love and security.", she muttered.

"Well that, girl, you'll be never able to find here.", Aberforth said.

Alanis could no longer stop herself from sobbing.

"But why can't you just repeat what you've done for Ariana? You fend for her, even opposed Albus, so why can't you just try to love me?"

Aberforth's face grew pale, but his voice remained that loud and angry as before.

"Because I don't want to fail another time, Alanis."

Alanis' tears covered her cheeks and she looked to the still dusty floor.

Aberforth abdicated himself from the responsibility he owed her to bear, because he just was a coward. He didn't seem to believe in love and compassion any more, otherwise he had known that Alanis and him would be able to manage everything.

"He's there, once again.", Aberforth grunted as he looked out of the window.

Alanis followed his gaze and saw Draco Malfoy standing on the other side of the street, staring at the Hog, and definitely waiting for her.

Every day since Christmas he had been coming, waiting there to take her out for a walk, where they had never again shared a word, but their presence. They just served each other as companion, breathing and walking together and sharing their silence.

It was all that Alanis needed.

It was distance.

And that bloody Malfoy was able to give it to her, even if he stood right beside her.

They were different parts from different lives, with different thoughts and aims. But they responded to the same air.

And she knew that with this last day of their holidays, it would be the last day of their companionship they would share, outside as well as inside the walls of Hogwarts.

Alanis just turned her back on Aberforth and walked out to join Malfoy.

Draco looked less than his best, as much as she must have, she supposed. He had dark circles around his eyes, his skin and his usually platinum blond hair got a slight tone of grey and he was more thinner and slender. Something seemed to break him down. But his grey eyes peered at her, even if he didn't say a word.

Alanis herself was exhausted, drained and she just felt that bad how Draco looked, so they both definitely needed some fresh air. And once again they found their way through Hogsmeade, speechless and left with their own thoughts, but side by side.

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	11. Chapter 11

**Hey guys! Now the next chapter. I was quite busy that day but I wanted to update quickly. I hope I didn't do it to hastily and please forgive me any mistakes! Please enjoy it!**

**And please don't forget to review!**

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><p>"Snape really wanted to offer Draco his help?", Alanis repeated Harry's words and he nodded firmly.<p>

"As Snape went off with Draco from Slughorn's party, I eavesdropped on them. Draco said that he has got a task, an order by _him_, who is obviously Voldemort, and that he doesn't want to let anyone steal away the honour he would gain if he succeeds.", Harry continued. "So he must be a death eater and planning something!"

Hermione and Alanis frowned.

"But fulfilling a mission for Voldemort doesn't involve an initiation automatically, does it?"

"Maybe it _is_ his initiation! That's why he's sensible with his left arm! Maybe he's already got the Dark Mark!"

Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Harry, can't you just imagine that Snape wanted to find out what Draco's doing by offering his help?", she asked. Alanis peered at the group of Slytherins which stood at the other end of the great hall and observed Draco who seemed to be raging and trying to get rid of Pansy Parkinson wrapping her arms around him. He talked fiercely to his companions Crabbe and Goyle and Blaise stood there just eyeing them up with a suspicious and uncomfortable look on his face.

"And that could be the reason why he rejected his help, because Draco is afraid of being caught! He even doesn't trust Snape anymore!", Harry argued and Alanis nodded.

"I can guess why. You said, Harry, that Lucius Malfoy was some of the higher privileged death eaters, the closest followers of Voldemort. But he had failed in the Ministry taking the Prophecy about the Voldemort and you, so I think he'd lost a lot of glory and acceptance. Don't you think that Draco might want to regain that honour? Or that Voldemort tries to assault the Malfoys even more just because to his own pleasure?"

Hermione gave her an incredulous shake of her head, but Harry's expression was tensed with excitement.

"You're brilliant, Alanis! So now we just have to find out what he's doing!"

"Mr Potter, silence up there!", Professor McGonagall shouted and everyone in the Great Hall went silent.

It was the first lesson of apparition and almost every sixth from student attended it.

Alanis had to find out that apparating wasn't just as easy as it looked like and that there was always the big danger of splintering, if she didn't really focus. But she wasn't the only one being unsuccessful, even Hermione wasn't able to move an inch.

"Just remember, Destination, Determination, Deliberation! Focus on these three things and you may apparate soon!", the Ministry Apparition Instructor yelled.

As the lesson ended, the students hurried to leave the Hall and as Harry, Alanis, Hermione and Ron managed to force their ways through the crowd, they met Ginny at the courtyard.

But then they heard some angry voices behind them, and they turned round to see Draco Malfoy and his companions pass the portal, quarrelling angrily.

"I told you that I need you to guard me! I order it!", Draco spat and glared at Crabbe and Goyle.

Suddenly Harry took some steps forward and cried:  
>"I would be nicer to my friends if I wanted them to do me a favour! Does Draco really need protection because he's still more than weak?"<p>

Draco furiously faced him and his face grew pale as he reckoned that a bunch of students came to a halt to observe them.

"Harry...", Hermione and Alanis whispered, but he didn't listen.

Harry was too curious finding out what his archfiend was doing and ached for challenging him.

"Don't stick your nose into things that are none of your business, Potter! Or it will break far worse than the last time!", Draco spat back.

"With a broken nose or not, I can count on my friends! How much do you pay for yours? It seems to be too little! Aren't you able to afford it because your father doesn't want to dig deep into his pockets? Oh, I forgot your father being in Azkaban! How's your mum then, Draco? Missing her failure-husband?"

"Don't you dare to speak like that of my family, Potter!"

Draco angrily pulled his wand out and pointed it at Harry, the little crowd around them whispered and Harry's hand wandered to his pocket, as Ron stepped to his side and grabbed his arm.

"Hold on, he's not worth it."

Harry sighed heavily, smirking: "As always."

Then they both turned around, walked away and Draco tightened his grip around his wand.

"Harry, watch out!" cried Ginny, Alanis shivered and fear made her whole body tremble as Ginny's warning didn't succeed in the right way. Harry turned his head around to look at the girl who called him, as Draco lifted his arm. Alanis acted instinctively and jumped forward, raising her wand.

"_Expelliarmus_!"

As soon as she hexed him, the nonverbal spell missed Harry by inches, Dracos wand was snatched away from his hand and Alanis reached out to pick it right away. Some people were laughing, Draco's companions pulled out their wands too, but Draco ignored them.

Alanis tried to conceal her amusement as Draco glanced at her with rage. He stepped forward and clenched his fists to calm himself down, knowing that he was now unarmed.

"Give it back to me." he growled and his face was angry as he gave her a killing glare. But Alanis saw something he succeeded very well hiding form everybody who looked at them. Everyone except her.

She knew his expressions, after all that speechless time during the holidays.

He appeared too bewildered as he riveted his angry gaze on her. But although she tried to return his glance, he stared her down. As she bumped into Ron, she recognized herself stepping back.

"You have to fetch it back on your own, Malfoy." she said, her voice shaking and began to run towards the castle.

"Alanis!", Hermione shouted, but in vain. Alanis ignored the whispering crowd and headed to the stairs near the entrance to the dungeons and shivered as she saw Snape. Snape had pressed his lips tightly together, Alanis calmed herself down and tried to step forward while not provoking Snapes attention. She scurried up the stairs and put Draco's and her wand into the pocket of her skirt.

"Malfoy! I want to talk to you!"

As Snape barked with his strong voice, Alanis was hardly able to run forward, although she knew that Draco was on her heels. She looked down the stairs and saw Malfoy trying to get rid of the angry potions master.

"Let me go through!", Draco demanded, looked up and knit his brows as she threw a teasing glimpse at him. She couldn't help herself but hesitate as he gave her an evil and angry smirk back, but then pulled herself together and headed down the corridor.

"Why so fast, little girl?", a picture of an old lady asked her, but Alanis didn't answer, as she felt her body raging with an emotion she never knew before.

Then she discovered the door to the toilets and quickly slipped in as she believed to recognize fierce and quickening steps behind her.

She leaned her back on the door and breathed deeply to calm down. Why did she feel so good of her excitement at this moment? His grin at her before caused her heart beating faster in joy of anticipation. Anticipation of being caught by him, of him demanding giving him back his wand, of her power over him as long as she possessed it. What was that? She never felt something like this before. She took step by step to one of the basins and opened the tap to hold her trembling hands under the ice-cold jet of water.

Alanis shivered. She liked the thought of being tracked by him. But what if there was some kind of... a relationship between them? Or was it just some kind of fascination of good and evil, which they would never dare to admit to themselves?

It was none of it. Alanis, don't be a fool!

She felt Draco's wand pressing against her leg in her pocket and smiled to herself. Yes, she had been a fool. This face-off had only been between Harry and Draco and no one had had the right to interrupt them. If Harry had to lose because of his feelings and vulnerability referring to Ginny, it should have happened. It should have taught Harry to recognize that he really had to improve his skills, especially in Occlumency and that if he was fighting fate he had to forget everything he loved, to focus on his target. He should have had to bear the defeat from Draco.

For the sake of the whole plan.

Alanis shouldn't have interrupted. With her acting she additionally feared to disclose more of her fascination for Draco than she would have liked to.

But it had something good, too. It helped her to comprehend her feelings. In spite of her wanting to deny, she knew that she had to stop thinking of Draco Malfoy from now on.

She had to do the same as Harry had to do. She had to lock up and hide her emotions and silly desire for something she could never have.

Alanis breathed heavily another time and turned around.

But there he stood.

She was so intensively caught in her thoughts, that she didn't reckon him entering the girls-toilet. Why did he dare to enter? But as she looked around at the old toilet-cabins and the partially damaged basins, she knew where she was. This toilet was the home of the Moaning Myrtle.

Draco must have seen the bafflement in her eyes and smirked another time, but he was impatient.

"Give it to me, Dumbledore.", he said shortly and stepped towards her. Alanis leeched on to the basin and gripped it so hard until her knuckles got white.

What should she do? What if she gave his wand back to him? Would he curse her? Would he pay her back the public indignity? If she would, it would have changed nothing between them, except that she managed to disarm him in front of half of the school and they would never be even.

What would people say if he easily got his wand back? What would they guess happened between them, as he followed her? What would Draco accept of them thinking of?

She peered at him and wondered if he had told Snape. If he had, she would have had to give him back his wand and this would seem as if Draco wasn't able to cope with his problems. Alanis guessed that Draco wanted to force her to give it back as a sign of triumph over her. He wanted to vanquish her as much as he wanted to defeat Harry Potter.

"You know my answer, Malfoy. Take it by yourself, or leave it."

Alanis wondered why her voice was that calm, in spite of her body signing something so much different. Although she wanted to face him, she now moved back from him as if she were a shy animal. But she wouldn't dare surrendering to him, never.

Draco's expression became darker, but delighted. As closer he came to her, the more she began to tremble. She stepped back until she was pressed to the wall.

"You stung my pride, witch.", he said and kept on coming closer.

"You attacked somebody dishonourably from behind. You deserved it!", Alanis hissed.

The corner of his mouth vellicated as he stopped a few inches before her.

"You shouldn't have done it. You don't know the consequences.", he spoke under his breath. Suddenly he put his hands forth to Alanis' hips. Alanis stiffened but as she looked directly in his face, he saw his eyes darken and his mouth open and he breathed deep. He passed his hands almost gentle, but forceful over her side to her back. But he never stopped looking at her face.

Alanis could easily have pushed him away from her, hexing him with the most powerful curse she knew, but she stood still. He let his hand run up and down her leg and her side to discover his wand and finally wrapped his hand around it. He even then didn't break their eye contact.

Slowly, unbearable slowly, he pulled it out.

Alanis fought with herself. She wanted to say something to him, something which would demolish his disgusting pride entirely, but there was no sound passing her lips.

She didn't move, she didn't speak.

She let herself being defeated with nothing but himself.

Draco must have recognized that. He must have bullied her with this awareness. But he didn't. He only watched her and didn't remove his hands from her.

It must have been ages, that they only stood there, so close, that their breaths came out in small, silent pants, only watching themselves and feeling Draco's hands on Alanis' side.

Then he raised his other arm to her face and his palm touched her burning cheek, his thumb gently moving to her lips and touching them. Her eyes grew wide, but he only smirked with this darkness in his eyes.

What the hell was he doing? Alanis stiffened even more as he caressed her lips and as she gasped, he suavely moved his thumb between her opened lips.

She instinctively clasped her lips around it and sucked slightly on it.

Draco's expression went lustful, he tightened his grip around her hip and pressed her body intensively to the wall.

He removed his hand from her lips, let it run through her hair and put it on her neck, gripping her fiercely and leaned in. Both their eyes lost their intense contact, as their glances shifted to their lips.

Alanis closed her eyes and let herself go, let Draco grab her, pressing him against her and feeling his lips moving closer to her. As soon as they began aching to feel the softness of the other's mouth, as soon as Alanis felt her heart jumping, as soon as she thought she felt nothing on this earth except Draco heading towards her-

" MALFOY!"

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	12. Chapter 12

**Hey guys! Thank you for that awesome reviews! I just managed to update earlier! I hope you will like this chapter as much as you liked the previous! The suggestion about Harry was quite good, but I have still other plans for what he should discover...**

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><p>"MALFOY!", Snape shouted and Draco and Alanis detached from themselves, as Snape's voice surprised them and seemed to let the walls shake.<p>

"What are you doing here? This is a restricted section!", Snape barked and Alanis wanted to jump into one of the toilet bowls to flush herself down the narrow pipes like Myrtle did, just to escape from Snapes rage and his black and vicious eyes which seemed to be able to kill with one sight.

But Draco was relaxed, even as Snape eyeballed them utterly, obviously aware of what almost happened.

"I had to get something from Miss Dumbledore back, Sir." said Draco and showed Snape his wand. But Snape didn't seem to be satisfied as he reckoned that Alanis had obviously taken Dracos wand.

"Detention! You both will show up this night in the DADA classroom, right after dinner."

This was when Draco lost his temper: "But Sir you know I can't afford detention! If my father will come up to know that-!"

Alanis couldn't help but laughed out loud and the both men stared at her if she went mad. Draco's father was still locked up in Azkaban and Draco's common excuse he had for years was now of little value. She immediately tried to hold herself back, but both Snape and Draco had grown angrier.

"Leave.", said Snape with a very low voice and Alanis knew she'd better obey. She almost ran to the door, but briefly looked back to Malfoy. There was nothing but tension she could read in his face, as he had to face Snape.

However, she reached the Gryffindor common room and let herself drop into one of the big armchairs in front of the fireplace. She watched the flames burn up the big logs and tried to collect her thoughts.

Apart from the fact that Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy almost duelled themselves in public and that she herself took Draco Malfoy's wand by interrupting their fight, she almost kissed the snotty Slytherin boy, the archfiend of Harry Potter!

The thought of a kiss itself didn't bother her too much, it rather excited herself, but she feared that Snape wouldn't hesitate to tell it to everyone of her classmates, as soon as he got the chance to do it. How would her friends react?

Additionally she had to put up with detention at Snape's. How should she do that, in particular in presence of Draco Malfoy?

Her stomach seemed to rebel just at the thought of it. She wasn't able to think about her feelings for him and more impossible, his feelings for her.

She was sure that there weren't any feelings on both sides. Today they only were heated up for each other because of this very tense situation, there was nothing more. That they had grown lustful, had just been situational.

She took one of the golden pillows, buried her face in it and screamed. She screamed out all of her desperation and frustration.

"What did he do to you, Alanis?"

Alanis looked up from her pillow and swallowed down her tears. Hermione stood there, with a really worried look on her face, Ginny had joined her and looked irritated at Hermione's words. Would Hermione realize that Alanis and Draco came closer?

"Where are Harry and Ron?", Alanis asked with a husky voice.

"They went to look for you to prevent Draco from doing anything to you.", Ginny said and Hermione nodded firmly.

"But is everything alright? You look horrified!", asked Hermione and took a seat right next to her. Alanis nodded quickly. As much as she liked these two girls and trusted them, she couldn't tell them what happened in Myrtles toilet.

"Snape showed up as I gave Malfoy back his wand.", she murmured.

"You just gave it back?"

Ginny looked disappointed, but Hermione sighed out in relief.

"I don't want to imagine how this whole thing would have ended if you still had his wand. But I hope it will teach him a lesson that against us he will never stand a chance! The good ones will always win!", Hermione said assuaged and that seemed to even satisfy Ginny. But Alanis knew that Hermione was just hiding her reproval within it and waiting for a private conversation between them. Hermione's worries were more than legitimate.

"I fear I have a lot of those lessons left, 'Mione. I've got detention at Snape's.", Alanis answered.

"No!" Hermione grimaced.

"Blimey Hermione, I can't get away from it, but I think I have to see the useful side of it."

"What do you mean by that?"

Hermione's face got a worried expression but Alanis just smiled, not willingly to admit to Hermione that she would not ever intent to abandon her strange relation to Draco. But anyway, in front of Ginny she had to keep quiet about it.

"Harry still thinks of Draco being guilty of cursing Katie Bell with that necklace, right? Even of being a death eater and compassing something! Draco refused to accept Snape's detention, because 'he actually hasn't got any time for that'. I guess with Harry's point of view the whole thing is true. Draco's planning something.", Alanis said, but suddenly felt as if she treated Malfoy. She shook her head.

She had to be on the good side, at Harry's, at Dumbledore's. In other ways she wouldn't be worthy of bearing his name.

"Oh, not you as well! I thought you just wanted to comfort Harry earlier!", cried Hermione disappointedly, but another time she hid her true thoughts of it. She knew that Alanis would be honest to her friends, and really knew something about Draco, and therefore Alanis agreeing with Harry's suggestions was certainly of significance. Alanis had not yet told anyone about her discovering Draco Malfoy lurking around in the Room of Requirement and fixing the Vanishing Cabinet, but Hermione still supposed her having found out something, beside her being more and more attracted to the Slytherin prince.

"But everything seems to be logic, Hermione.", Ginny said.

At that moment the portrait of the fat Lady swung open and Harry and Ron entered, happy to see them. The three girls quickly informed them of the current situation.

"Sorry, Alanis, that we didn't help you and kicked up his arse!", Ron began, but Alanis shook her head and smiled slightly.

"I'm happy that you just didn't get detention like me. But if I can, I'll help Harry getting information about Dracos plans."

As she said that out loud, Hermione grunted sarcastically and Alanis wanted to ran away from her friends, away from the castle. How could she bear being involved with Draco like that?

"At first, I do not trust Snape, even if Dumbledore does. Secondly, we have to find out what he is always doing there in the seventh floor and why he always disappears from the Marauder's map!", Harry said excitedly.

Harry seemed to be right in every detail. Snape was a traitor and Draco some kind of a ticking time bomb, and worse, maybe a death eater yet.

Alanis looked to the ground. Should she really be revealing what she already knew?

However she decided, it would be betrayal to either of them, but to her own astonishment she couldn't imagine putting up with betraying Draco like with her friends.

What the hell did that mean? Did Draco already mean so much to her that he churned up her whole life and even changed her thoroughly honest attitude?

"I'll watch out for him.", Alanis concluded.

Harry, Ginny and Ron then smiled warmly at her, Hermione looked doubtful and Alanis felt horrible. With every second she reminded herself of the pleasure she was waiting for that Draco was about to give her.

It seemed that she could enqueue herself to Snape as the next traitor.

As much as she actually wanted to refuse to speak to someone about Draco, she urged to do it. And the one she could speak to was only one man.

Dumbledore.

* * *

><p>"What do you want?", Draco spat at Snape, who looked at him as if he just had faced a boggart.<p>

"You know that my offer has not changed, Draco. I still want to help you and you apparently need it, because what else than deep despair could cloud your mind and make you coming on to Alanis Dumbledore?", Snape answered and stepped closer, while Draco just tried to stare him down. How could that traitor Snape dare to interfere in his concerns?

Didn't he already make it clear that he needed no help? Especially not from a hook-nosed old man whom he even trusted less than the Dumbledore girl?

This traitor only wanted to dispossess his father to gain the Dark Lords favour. Lucius Malfoy was the most important Death eater, until he made these horribly humiliating mistakes and disappointed the Dark Lord.

His father was only a shade of himself and Draco was disgusted of this man. So he would regain and retain the Malfoy's glory. He had to be successful. For his mother's and his own sake. His father didn't count anymore.

"I'm very fine with my own skills, professor. I don't need help."

"I can see it in your mind that you still haven't been successful. Did you ever consider the consequences you'll have to face if you neglect your duties?", Snape growled and Draco flinched back, hastily trying to collect his thoughts to shut them away from Snape. Did that little scene with Alanis Dumbledore really affect him so much that he lost his power of disciplining his mind? Would his intention and his will to meet her again keep him away from his mission?

_Holy crap_. They still did.

"How about you, Professor? You don't work for neither a side, you're just a coward of facing Voldemort's wrath or the other side's profound aversion."

"This is not about me, Draco! Let me help you, remember that _he_ will be soon asking your progress!", Snape said and if he had to intensify his words, he grabbed Draco's arm. Draco suddenly felt a sharp pain in his arm and stumbled back.

Snape was still a powerful follower of Voldemort, but Draco longed for the day when his father would gain the position back that Snape had stolen away from him. Or even better, the day when Draco was about to hold this position. Additionally, he would be safe again.

"You think he will summon me?", Draco asked and felt fear raising up in his heart.

"The Dark Lord never will be patient. He wants to be his tasks done as fast as possible. Beware of disappointing him Draco, I beg you!"

Draco just stared at the potions master. Did he just beg him to be careful? Was Snape really that worried about him?

Surely, he was not worried about him, just afraid of Draco failing and Snape missing to protect him, because then that Unbreakable Vow would cause his death. That's the only reason why Snape wanted to support him. Severus Snape would not let himself get killed by the actions and stubbornness of a teenage boy.

"If you want me to get ahead, decline my detention.", Draco snarled and pushed his arm away.

"That would just set Alanis Dumbledore on your track."

Draco frowned. Did Snape think that little Dumbledore could possibly really be a danger to him? But what about their time in Hogsmeade they shared? Well, walking silently didn't mean a lot, did it? But almost kissing her did.

"But I thought you don't want me to be with her?"

"She affects and keeps you from working seriously! You changed, you are no more that Draco that you have been! She makes you easily comprehensible, reckless and seducible!"

Draco grunted angrily.

"She is just a girl, Professor! Just a girl like any other in this castle! I don't care who she is and what she does to me! Because it doesn't matter, my days are numbered anyway."

He just tried hard to suppress him beginning to shout. Draco knew that his was true and it was the first time he really admitted it to himself. He would not be able to run away from Voldemort killing him, because he was not able to fulfil his task. And bloody hell, he wanted to live and enjoy his life as long as it would be possible, and that girl could definitely sweeten it.

"Well, be with her and see what it leads to, foolish boy!"

But Draco suddenly cried out, as he felt it his whole body burn, his arm aching as if it had been cut off, but pulsed heavily and sent bolts of pain through his body and through his mind. Fear filled his body up and let him shake, that he almost wasn't able to stand anymore.

What the hell was that?

Before he almost fell to the ground, Snape reached out for him.

"He summons you...", Snape gasped and shook Draco to catch his attention. "Prepare, Draco! Close your mind, keep your emotions low!"

But Draco just panted heavily, as the pain lowered, but left emptiness inside him. This emptiness weakened his thoughts and even crushed down his immense fear.

Now everything would be over.

He would just be helpless in the face of Voldemort, when he had to make his confession of his failure. Voldemort would punish him, for every day he'd failed and would not be merciful.

Draco would have to be glad if he would even be able to return back to Hogwarts, alive.

"No... I don't...", Draco just stuttered as his body trembled and convulsed uncontrolledly.

"Calm down, Draco! Focus!"

But Draco wasn't able to listen to Snape, as his wildest nightmares afflicted him, pictures of his foreseeable torture and even his death clouded his sight.

Suddenly Snape slapped him hard in the face.

"Look at me!"

Snape's sharp voice cut through his thoughts and made Draco look in this black fathomless eyes. He felt as if Snape absorbed him, caught him entirely and his breath calmed down. Draco recognized that his tears mingled with some beads of perspiration that were running down his cheeks. Snape unexpectedly reached out and put his hand over his heart.

"I didn't feel him summoning me as well, did he only summon you?"

Draco wasn't even able to indicate a nod at him and he just felt the weight of Snape's hand on his chest, which he on the one side immediately and intrinsically wanted to push away, but on the other hand it seemed to be the only thing that was now able to keep him on the ground.

"Just me... today... evening...", Draco mumbled and sighed.

Snape let go of him and nodded.

"Do you need my help?"

This time this was no eager question, not pressuring, just honestly solicitously.

But Draco wouldn't surrender.

"No. This is my task."

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	13. Chapter 13

**Hello again! This is quite fun that this particular chapter is also the 13th... it just fit's perfect.I hope you still enjoy the story as much as I do! Please keep on reading and reviewing! I really think that I have already good plans for the progress of this story!**

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><p>As Alanis took the steps to Dumbledore's office, she could hear the muffled, but angry voice of Severus Snape through the big woody doors. Alanis disliked him a lot and could understand Harry's antipathy for him. She couldn't help herself but harkened.<p>

"He refuses my help, Sir, even today. He believes that I'll steal his pride, the honour which he is about to gain because of him murdering you!", Snape said and Alanis could almost feel him tremble and imagined his lips twitching. But what did he talk about?

"Mr Malfoy lost his sense for reality. He forgot that you're the only person he always adored and trusted and that you are the only man who would be able to help him. Except me of course.", answered Dumbledore and Snape's indignant gasp was unmistakable.

"How about the Room of Requirement? What is he doing there?", asked Dumbledore. Snape didn't answer, Alanis pressed herself to the door, her heart racing with anger and fear.

Could she really trust her ears?

Could Draco be the one, guilty of cursing Katie Bell?

And worse, could he really be able to plan to murder Albus Dumbledore?

It seemed that nothing could now deny Malfoy being a death eater. The two men in the office went silent.

"Severus?"

But at that moment the doors were opened roughly and Alanis was knocked to the ground. Right before her eyes she saw the black coat of Severus Snape, who bent down and pulled her up, with rage in his face, which caused her to grow pale immediately.

"How long have you been listening?", Snape yelled with a harsh voice and his hard grip around her shoulder caused her to whimper.

"I..."

But as she looked in Snapes black enraged eyes, she felt as if he looked straight into her mind, digging his way through her thoughts. She wasn't able to stand anymore, but Snape's grip tightened and everything before her eyes blurred.

Suddenly there was nothing but Draco in her mind.

Draco watching her, her fear of him acting badly, their few but intense conversations, and finally their two bodies pressed to one another, their lips moving towards each other-

"Severus! Please stop!"

Dumbledore's voice finally brought her back to reality, Snape pushed her away as if she was dirty and Alanis tumbled back. She breathed heavily and put her hands around her head as an intense headache let her groan loudly.

With big eyes she looked at Snape and asked herself what he had been doing with her. But there was no other way than he had been reading her mind.

Snape pointed his wand at her.

Alanis shifted back, but was too weak to grab her own wand to defend herself.

"I told you to stop!"

Now it was Dumbledore's turn to be angry. He walked fiercely around his table and supported Alanis, as she tried to stand up.

"Let me clean her memory!", Snape hissed through his clenched teeth, but Albus shook his head.

"Trust her, Severus."

Snapes expression went more and more angry, his pale skin got even paler, but he turned around in a very harsh movement and left, his bat-cloak flapping wildly. As the doors had been shut loudly, Alanis tried to calm down, resting her head in the crook of Dumbledore's arm.

"He had no right to read your mind, Alanis. I'm sad that Severus wasn't able to hold off. But you have to understand that he only wanted to protect himself. In spite of his great occlumency skills, his cover is always threatened to be blown up every second. And an uneducated young mind as yours is a danger to him.", Albus said quietly and stroke her hair.

"But what does this all mean?", Alanis asked and Albus led her to take a seat in one of the ancient armchairs in front of his table.

"There's hardly anything I can explain to you, although I know how much you have the right to know it. But it is too complicated, though."

Dumbledore sat down in his own chair and looked at her through his half-moon glasses, offering her one of his favourite acid pops.

"But I want to know what's up with Draco Malfoy! Does he really want to kill you?", Alanis asked anxiously and grimaced, as the sour acid pop seemed to burn a hole in her tongue.

Albus smiled warmly and showed her his black, ugly hand.

"I'll be dead in several months, anyway, this is my curse. Draco has to murder me, as he acts under Voldemorts orders, but Voldemort doesn't really expect the boy success. He only wants to harm Lucius Malfoy's family with this act. And if he could get rid of me by the way, it will be only to his pleasure. Draco seems to be obsessed with it, although I asked Snape to support him, but Draco refuses any help."

"You told Snape to help Draco killing you?"

"It's Snapes only chance to make Voldemort trusting him entirely."

"What does that mean?", asked Alanis bewildered, but Albus shook his head.

"I will only tell you of Draco Malfoy, my dear. But you have to keep silent to Harry and the others. You even may not tell Draco, because then he would stop working on in the Room of Requirement."

"The Vanishing Cabinet...", whispered Alanis, as she put everything together. So her suggestion might really have been true that Draco wanted to hide in that Cabinet if he was threatened to get killed by Voldemort.

Dumbledore lifted his eyebrows.

"I met... I saw Draco working on a Vanishing Cabinet in the Room of Requirement! But why would he want to repair it?", asked Alanis and excitement. Dumbledore smiled warmly.

"That is very interesting, indeed. But if there exists a twin, he is able to create a passageway from Hogwarts to the other cabinet and that would be free access to the castle."

Free access to the castle? Would Dumbledore really let that happen just to fool Voldemort?

"But how does it benefit Draco planning to murder you? Do you think he will hide in it if he would be on the run of Voldemort if he fails?"

Dumbledore leaned back in his seat and folded his hands.

"That will be your task to find out, Alanis. I want you to help him finishing the reparations on the cabinet. I fear he isn't skilled enough to finish it on his own, he obviously has got some problems with it, and your father succeeded in doing such things, didn't he? Perhaps you inherited his skills."

Alanis nodded stiffly.

"But I hardly know anything of his work, Albus."

"It would be enough if I give you some additional instructions. Severus told me that you obviously sympathize for each other and that would help you gaining Dracos faith in you, as he said it was proven quite well this morning."

Alanis' cheeks burned and she looked down into her lap.

"I fear there's nothing like that Albus. Nothing which contains serious feelings.", she murmured.

"That is up to you, my dear Alanis. But try to use your affection to take your first steps. You have to do this, because this would be the only reason that Severus would accept me not eliminating your memories to this conversation that I had been having with him. "

A very odd feeling which made her heart race in joy told her that she anyway would have tried to help Draco Malfoy, whatever he had to do and not even just out of curiosity. She wanted tostay beneath him, no matter what.

As much as she wanted to neglect it, she knew that she felt something for Draco Malfoy. And this feeling was far away from pity.

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><p>"Fear."<p>

The tension around Draco was tangible, the deatheaters staring him down through their silver masks and that seemed to press him down to the ground.

"It fills your body. It takes your breath away. It is all in your mind, dear Draco."

Draco stiffened and tried himself to stop shaking, as he was kneeling in front of the Dark Lord himself. He'd tried to collect his thoughts, his words, that he could chose to even try to lie to the most powerful mage in the world, but he knew he was just a boy. A boy who feared for his life and his fear ruined everything.

"My Lord..."

"But there's no need of it, if you can report me of your efficient and uninterrupted progress."

Draco's heartbeat fastened as he felt something beneath him. It was Nagini, she stroke Draco's knees as she drew closer to her master. The tension was unbearable. Draco wanted to get this torture quickly over with, but Voldemort would not. He was likely to torture even his followers slowly, make absolutely clear that he didn't accept anyone disobeying his orders.

Voldemort sighed in relief as he touched the head of his snake and mumbled something to her.

"Well, now I think it's your time to raise the speak, dear Draco."

Draco breathed in heavily. What should he say about the progress? He felt that he still was able to put up the barrier in his mind that would prevent Voldemort from reading it, but he knew it weakened with every second.

"Severus told me about a Vanishing Cabinet you want to use."

"I discovered it at Borgin and Burkes. It's twin is hidden in the Room of Requirement in Hogwarts. I try to repair it to create a secret and secure passageway directly to Hogwarts."

Voldemort nodded and let Nagini curl up around his shoulders.

"That's some interesting news indeed. The thought of having free access to Hogwarts pleases me, but how would that Cabinet be of use with your task?"

"It is a very old cabinet, my Lord, very dark and powerful. But it will make it possible to invade the Hogwarts school. I just was able to send an apple through it to Borgin and Burkes and I'm close to success with animate objects."

That was an impertinent and hazardous lie. He was nothing like close to the solution. Voldemort would feel it, he knew it from the very first sound that escaped Draco's lips, but better try to lie than surrender to the foreseeable torture.

The torches on the wall flickered and Draco felt a cold shiver run down his back.

"You did not answer me in an appropriate way, Draco."

Draco swallowed heavily, realizing that Voldemort wasn't as contentedly as he appeared to be. Then he another time bowed before him and almost touched the floor with his forehead.

"My Lord, you already ordered me to clear the way for some deatheaters to invade the school. This Cabinet was the best solution to me. When the time is right, then some other deatheaters can join me accomplishing my task."

The following silence caused Draco to look up into the atrocious and algid face of his master. Draco was surprised to perceive something like a grin on his face, but it was a sardonic and even pitiful one.

"Just as I expected."

Draco didn't even dare to ask, as the Dark Lord hissed something to Nagini, who immediately left his shoulders, that Voldemort was able to stand up. Draco flinched as Voldemort pulled out his wand and stroke it as if it had been his most valuable treasure.

"You're just like your father. Fatuous, weak, disappointing."

Another wave of fear let Draco's body shiver as Nagini began to coil around his cowered figure, some deatheaters and also his aunt Bellatrix were laughing. Although Draco disdained his father, it was hard to take everyone laughing about him. But it was much more a torture to Draco awaiting so long the punishment that he would definitely get.

Voldemort imperiously raised his hand and everyone went silent again. Draco panted heavily.

"The boy needs support, don't you realize? He needs companions at his side when he will face Dumbledore! Otherwise, he would just die at the thought of that doter.", Voldemort said to the deatheaters with malice, but then he suddenly turned around and faced Draco.

"Or will you satisfy the Dark Lord? Will you be the one who succeeds? Will you be the one amongst all my followers who deserves to gain the greatest honour and favour of Lord Voldemort?", he asked with a tormenting voice.

"I will.", Draco hastily said, while his thoughts whirled around in his mind and it was so hard to keep his emotions low.

"I will just make sure you understand."

Draco was repelled and he screamed as pain echoed through all of his veins. But as soon as it hit him, it faded away.

"There should be nothing that prevents you from fulfilling my orders!"

At that moment, when the second curse hit his body Draco lost his power over his emotions and they were released. As much as he tried to shoo it away, the picture of Alanis Dumbledore was so clearly before his eyes that he almost thought he only had to reach out with his hand to touch it.

Suddenly there was a sharp outcry of pleasure.

"How enchanting! Draco seems to have found something that he is more likely to be engaged with than with an honourable mission of Lord Voldemort.", Voldemort cried out with joy and flicked his wand several times.

Draco cried out in pain as he felt as if his limbs were ripped apart.

But there was wrath too.

He should have never let it happen that this girl manifested herself in his life.

"I will now teach you whom you should give the major priority!"

Draco had no feeling for time any more. Pain was the only thing he felt, there was nothing else. Even his thoughts were covered with pain and he wasn't able to say how long Voldemort tortured him.

Finally he lay there on the cold floor, sweat covered his whole body and there was no part of him he wasn't able to feel.

But on the other hand, he felt empty. It was much worse than the emptiness he felt as he was summoned. There was nothing on his mind, he even didn't mind to breathe, he just stared up to the dark ceiling and wasn't able to close his mouth and his eyelids.

There was not much left to the inevitable.

That had already been so close.

So close to the ultimate punishment.

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	14. Chapter 14

**Hey guys! Thank you very much for that great reviews! They really motivate me for writing the following chapters! ****Please enjoy my story henceforth as well! **

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><p>Alanis nervously paced up and down the corridor in front of the DADA classroom.<p>

She knew she was able to handle opposing Snape or Draco, but how to face them both at the same time? Anyway, where was Draco? Alanis didn't see him going to the dinner and even now he wasn't present. If Draco didn't mind to go to their detention, she had to keep in touch with him in other ways. And that would just complicate everything.

"Where so fast, Miss Dumbledore?", she heard the low and angry voice of Snape sound behind her. She didn't recognize herself stepping closer to the portrait which led to the staircase.

She turned around quickly, suppressing her strange but strong urgency to visit the Room of Requirement and look for Draco.

"I do like that portrait, Sir.", Alanis stuttered and backed away from the professor. She really had to find out quickly if he was still likely to brainwash her.

"Thank you little girl, but there is no portrait of more gorgeousness than the portrait of Sir Cadogan, don't you think?", the Lady on the portrait chanted.

Snape curled up his lips, grabbed Alanis' arm and pulled her to the classroom.

"I guess you can tell me where Mr Malfoy is?" he asked and Alanis rubbed her arm as he pushed her to a table full of boxes of little black shining beans.

What did Snape want? He should better know where Draco had been and it was obvious anyway that Draco'd skipped the detention.

"I think he won't show up, Professor."

"That is not the answer I demanded from you! As Professor Dumbledore wants you to look for and help Draco, as _I_ am originally supposed to do, I thought you'd know exactly where he is, because you still came _that_ close.", he barked, but calmed his voice down. Alanis should have known. Snape just wanted to tease her, like it was his natural behaviour. He wanted to show her how less Alanis knew Draco and how ridiculous her relation to him had been.

"I don't know, Sir."

"As I supposed, you're useless. And additionally I think that you barely could serve to Draco's pleasure, with that lack of intelligence and beauty."

Alanis tried to defend herself, but Snape did anyway ignore her and told her to sort out these little black beans, without using any gloves. These little legumes were sensitive and burst easily whenever she touched them an released as sticky liquid which burned her skin and smelled awfully.

"Unfortunately Madam Pomfrey was never able to discover a cure for that itchiness and pain they cause. ", Snape said and sat down at his table and smiled wickedly at her.

He continued to mock her, while she burned her hands with that black liquid and filled bottles with vain endeavour. She would never be finished with that! She would certainly pay Draco back for leaving her with this rubbish!

But suddenly Snape went silent and she dared to look up. Snape's face grew pale of pain and he pressed his right hand on his left arm. Alanis frowned. Was Snape being summoned? What the hell was happening?

"What are you staring at, girl?", Snape's voice sounded oddly pressed.

"Nothing, Professor.", Alanis answered hastily and looked down to her abhorred black beans.

Hours later, it seemed, she finally managed to fill one little bottle and corked it.

"I've finished one bottle, Sir.", Alanis growled and hopefully looked up.

"That seems to be a miracle, but a very pitiful work. I fear you have to continue tomorrow evening."

Alanis looked at that bunch of beans which still remained, she would be sorting them the whole year!

"But I would free you from your detention if you promise to absent yourself from Draco.", he said and Alanis took a deep breath because of his exorbitant ridiculousness. Was Severus Snape actually negotiating with her?

"I can't! Professor Dumbledore told me to help Draco! I will help him to finish his task! And if it would be necessary, I will skip your detention too!", Alanis protested.

Snape smirked.

"You think Draco skipped his detention?"

Alanis hold her breath.

"Yes, I do, Sir. He's certainly got far better to do than sorting out beans!"

"Don't you dare to become impertinent, Dumbledore! You have no idea what it would mean to be in Mr Malfoy's position! You have no idea!"

Snape just laid emphasis on every single word he threw at her as if he wanted them to dig in her mind and make it absolutely clear that she knew how much he disdained her and judged her just to be a little foolish lovey-dovey girl.

"But Professor, I will never-"

"Beware, Miss Dumbledore, there could always be an unexpected moment in which your thoughts will blur and your memories will be extinguished, letting behind a mind which even can't remember to speak or behave better than a three year old child.", Snape warned Alanis, but she didn't think him being serious.

Dumbledore would always know that Snape would have brainwashed her. But she never could be cured of that and that was the main aim of Severus Snape, frightening her.

She was a danger to him, knowing his real position, knowing that he had to murder Dumbledore instead of Draco, just to take off the burden of Draco Malfoy and make Voldemort trusting him. She even knew that Dumbledore would be dead anyway in several months. If she told Harry about all of that, Dumbledore's tactic would be blown up and Snape would be a dead man for sure. Alanis supposed that Harry would lose a lot of his trust for Dumbledore.

That's why Snape wanted to watch her and prevent Draco and her from getting close.

"Take that bottle to Professor Slughorn. And don't forget to apologize to have him been waiting that long.", Snape ordered slowly and finally waved his hand to give her a sign that she was allowed to go.

Alanis didn't wait any longer, grabbed the bottle and hurried away.

She loved the corridors of the castle and was pleased that her way to the seventh floor made her walking around in half of the castle. They seemed to invite everybody to dilly-dally around and Alanis was happy that she now was able to dwell on her thoughts without ruffle or excitement.

She just quickened her pace to get faster to Slughorn's office and -

"Not again!", Alanis cried out, as she bumped into Draco Malfoy. The glass of that black beans fell down and burst into hundred pieces, the beans bursting too and dispersing their malodorous substance.

"I'm sorry.", Draco said and quickly pulled his wand out, "_Reparo_."

He handed her back the bottle, but the beans were on the floor.

"What happened to your hands?", he asked and took one of her hands, which caused her to whimper in pain.

"Just ask Snape!", Alanis lamented and cleaned up the floor with a quick flick of her wand.

"I guess I have to be glad that I didn't come. Just hoped you would tell Snape that I won't come to his stupid detention, or to whatever he wants to exert his authority with. I don't care. I've got better to do than this.", Draco said, but he ended up coughing and he bend as if he his whole body ached.

"I hope you used your time well?", Alanis asked irritated and Draco suddenly stumbled back and let her hands go, which was as much a pain for her.

"In fact, I guess I wasted it as much as you did.", he said and this was the first moment that Alanis really looked at him.

And then she began to see him.

He looked much worse than he ever did, his face just a painful grimace, his body hunching down, loosing it's erectness, as if he was suffering great pain and his eyes had a most atrocious look. Because his gaze was empty, as if he was just looking through her.

"Is everything alright with you, Malfoy?"

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><p>Draco hastened to Snape's office as he bumped right into that Dumbledore girl.<p>

He knew he shouldn't have cared less about that Dumbledore girl at the moment, but something deep inside him urged to remain and look at her, just if he had to make sure that she even did exist. His thoughts were still blurred with fear and he knew that just quick look at little Dumbledore's smooth features would calm him down, ease his temper, extinguish his fear.

That all was such a mess! Was he somewhat like addicted to her glances?

He almost stumbled across his own feet, as is bloody thoughts reminded him of almost kissing her that afternoon.

So why had he been so urgently wanting to kiss that girl in particular? She was just one of hundreds he liked to kiss. He always had to have some possibilities to becalm himself and he always knew how to get that kind of possibilities a man needed the most. But why her?

She was different.

Because of all that circumstances that separated, but even connected them, she seemed to be the last one on this earth he would ever dare to kiss, but he couldn't help himself wanting it.

It was almost like she digged her way in to his mind and heart and never cared to leave. She was some kind of an ever present object of his desire which never disappeared. Additionally she seemed to be likely to appear at every place he moved to.

But then, at her anxious question about his welfare, he just realized what he was doing and what had just been happening to him before.

He stumbled back as if a Cruciatus-curse had beaten him again.

He had to stop it.

Everything had to stop.

There was no way he could ever even look at that little Dumbledore girl again.

Voldemort made it exactly clear what he thought about Draco's life and didn't even care about it.

Draco had to change.

That was the only way to keep himself and even that little girl safe.

_Forget everything_, Draco.

Forget.

"Leave me alone, Dumbledore.", he mumbled and still backed away, trying hard to hold himself up as his maltreated body urged to rest.

"That was weak if you actually wanted to pay me your defeat back. But don't forget, we're even since I disarmed you." she said.

Draco sighed. She seemed to be prepared facing him.

Prepared?

What did he think of?

Although he wanted to snap back at her, he turned around and headed to the portrait whose secret path would lead him right to the staircase.

"_Lucid dreams..._" he mumbled to the portrait, which immediately swung open to reveal a hidden corridor behind it.

But as he stepped forward, he had to stop and look back.

She blushed, but looked him right in the eye.

He was used to their glances they shared, especially since Christmas, but even apart from their little scene in Myrtle's Toilet he never felt himself being overlooked from her like this.

It was uncomforting, but only caused him to hesitate, to remain, and left the urgency to go on with what they have been starting earlier in that bloody toilet. But he would quit with whatever that was, this was the time to focus. Or even to leave everything behind what did not fit with his mission.

"I still did and will do.", he answered shortly.

_Dammit,_ he thought.

He just admitted to himself that both of them were related to each other.

And this was the last thing on earth he could have needed.

* * *

><p>Alanis clenched as she looked at Draco. The forlorn look in his face seemed to invite her to follow him into that little corridor behind the portrait.<p>

Should he follow him? Should he begin that what Dumbledore had been asking from her?

Would Dumbledore accept her ignoring Professor Snape's orders by obeying his'?

Additionally something between Draco and Alanis changed another time as they looked at each other. But he broke their eye contact as if something had roused him and disappeared in that little tunnel. His wiry figure merged with its darkness and the portrait closed silently behind him.

Alanis breathed out heavily. He was gone.

And even if she didn't really want to admit it, it just seemed to her as if he said goodbeye.

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	15. Chapter 15

**Hey guys! I am really really happy how much you and I are enjoying this story. I will really try to do my best with it and please keep on reviewing like that! Please don't hesitate correcting me and forgive me any mistakes! I hope you'll enjoy Draco's personal development, if it really could be named as that, but rather regression. He's really going mad and I hope you all will enjoy that! **

**Please review! With love, peerme**

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><p>"An apple, mate?", Blaise asked and offered him a very delicious looking green one, but Draco pushed his hand away that the apple fell down to the floor and rolled through the half of the common room.<p>

Blaise grimaced angrily and threw himself into one of the black couches and took a bite of his own apple. Draco flinched at the sound of it and rubbed his still aching limbs, trying to shy away Voldemort's figure from his mind.

"What's wrong with you?", Blaise asked and Draco watched him chewing, as if he wanted to cheer himself up just with looking at something which could hardly but a little distract him from his memories of his torture.

Draco just pointed at his left arm and Blaise almost choked on his bloody apple.

"You have been-?"

"Keep quiet Blaise or I will plug that apple into your throat and serve you for dinner!", Draco spat at him angrily and rubbed his arm as if he wanted to scratch out the Dark Mark of his flesh.

"What happened?"

Draco shrugged, but regretted it immediately as bolts of pain ran down his back. Voldemort had done a good job, there would only be marks on his body. No one could even imagine him being tormented, except rather notice him hobbling and stooping. But if he ever let somebody look in his eyes, then they would have noticed the emptiness inside him, that still didn't fade away.

"He was definitely not amused. But it doesn't matter anyway."

"Why aren't you working today? You even haven't got any classes, you could use the time well.", Blaise asked and seemed to be really worried. Great, Draco needed nothing more than a suddenly relenting Zabini Blaise.

Draco sighed and leaned himself back and put his legs on the table in front of him.

"Keep cool, Blaise. This is not your task and I know what I'm doing."

"I guess he would not appreciate you dossing about."

Draco took one of his books out of his bag and threw it at him and was really satisfied as Blaise grunted with pain.

"_Dark Materials And Its Uses_? What do you need that for?", Blaise asked resentfully, but was interrupted by Pansy Parkinson sitting down beneath Draco and looking curiously at him.

"Not having a busy day, Draco, my dear?", she asked and stroke Draco's blond hair, but Draco just smirked.

"I thought that this day would only be busy with you joining me, Pansy."

And with that he reached out for her arm, kissed Pansy roughly and she first pretended to struggle, pushing him away from her, but she wasn't someone who rejected herself to him for a long time. He knew that she anyway had been disappointed that he'd sent her to Coventry the last few months and would now be relieved to see that he was still attracted to him.

Or whatever she might like to think of. But in fact he abominated her.

Draco wasn't attracted, or infatuated or whatever else. He just needed distraction and he would need much of it. And there was just one sort of distraction that Draco Malfoy would accept and Pansy was a good start to begin with.

Additionally, it would keep that Dumbledore girl at bay, in real life, his bloody mind and dreams as well.

Blaise threw his book back at Draco and Pansy and him stopped snogging, as the book hit Draco's head.

"Stop that!"

"You don't have to look at us, Blaise. Besides, I think you could also need some sort of amusement like that. I thought you considered hitting on that particular little Ravenclaw girl, didn't you?", Pansy said, while she grabbed Draco's collar and opened the first two buttons of his coat.

Blaise just snorted contemptuously. Pansy giggled and pulled Draco closer, looking flirtatiously at him.

"I wonder Pansy, if you would like to take a bath in the Prefect's bathroom?", Draco asked, stood up and pulled the girl with him.

Pansy just giggle another time, flung her arms around his neck and they walked out of the common room, followed by the wary scowl of Blaise.

But Draco didn't mind his best friend being upset about him. There were so many other far better things on this earth he could pay attention to and he would get one of them very soon.

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><p>"That was just horrible as I heard Ron being poisoned... But as Ron lay there on the bed he semiconsciously mumbled my name, Alanis. You should have seen Lavender, she shouted at me like a crazed fury!", Hermione said cheerfully, daffing her jacket as they entered the castle, returning from their morning walk.<p>

Ron had been poisoned as he'd been ad Slughorn's to be cured from that love potion that Romilda Vane wanted to foist on Harry. He'd know been for some days at the hospital wing and what a wonder, he'd not been murmuring Lavender Brown's name in sleep, but Hermione's.

That and her jealousy was reason enough for Lavender to break up with Ron and Ron seemed to welcome it, and Hermione besides, was very happy about that and had even started to talk to Ron again.

"Why don't you finally speak to Ron? Tell him that you just don't only want to be his friend anymore.", Alanis asked Hermione and they took their steps to the upper classrooms.

"There's no need to, things will work out by and by.", Hermione said happily and almost hopped up the stairs. Alanis just shook her head, but Hermione suddenly jerked to a halt at the stairhead and looked down to Alanis with a most peculiar expression.

"You did not tell me what happened that day when you disarmed Malfoy."

Alanis frowned. She should have known that Hermione would be asking her that some day.

"Nothing.", she mumbled and rushed past Hermione and took eager steps to the seventh floor.

Hermione moaned and moved on, close on Alanis' heels.

"Does 'nothing' mean what I am afraid of?", she asked her, but Alanis just took step by step, assiduously blanking out that Draco Malfoy could be anywhere around.

But that could hardly be possible anymore, because Draco didn't seem to care about the Vanishing Cabinet or whatever he had to fix. As much as Draco Malfoy had seemed to be changing in the first months of that school year, he now definitely went back to his roots, but to a so much worse version of the original bigheaded moron.

Everyone could see him dating even two girls a day, he resumed abusing his position as Prefect and harassing little first classes, mocking other students and even playing jokes on people like poor Neville.

He just acted as if he was desperately in the need to humiliate himself and he even didn't care about him succeeding with that.

She knew that Draco just acted out that weird in public to try to fool everyone. He was more weak than he'd ever been, although he pretended to suddenly have gained new strength.

He hung around with that silly girl Parkinson whom he lied to like a trooper, just as he always did and pretended to be somehow back to his old position as the resurrected and even so treasured Slytherin masher, who was playing hard to get. That effected half of the school's girl being attracted to and drool over Malfoy and likely to giving themselves to him, who even seemed to be more mysterious than ever.

But nevertheless, Alanis knew as well, that these actions should hurt her too.

"It does not, Hermione. I just gave him back his wand, that's all."

"But there must be a reason for his sudden change. I mean, he never ever acted like he does recently. And additionally, do you think that he could be guilty for that poisoned mead that almost killed Ron?"

Alanis shrugged and moved on, suppressing her anger.

To see Draco Malfoy in other's girls arms, see him acting out like she'd never saw him before, like she never thought of him being able to do, let that Draco she knew from the Christmas holidays seem like a complete other person. Where was that Draco that she felt attracted to, whom she thought of being someone who even understood her without any words?

Was Hermione therefore right with her guesswork? Could Alanis really be the reason that Draco made a fool out of himself? But why that? They didn't even kiss, although they were close to do so.

But if Draco Malfoy did really care that less about his love affairs, there had to be another thing that affected him so much that he didn't even try to maintain his pride.

Something took place the evening of her detention at Snape's, Alanis was sure of that. She'd realized that as she had looked into his face as she met Draco after her detention. Alanis had felt that at that moment he had absented himself from her, as if he ruled off their acquaintance.

"Perhaps he is, perhaps not. We just have to figure that out, but actually I can't bear looking at him.", Alanis said and Hermione grabbed her arm.

"That proves it, Alanis! You're upset about him, hurt badly because of him making out with other girls! It's obvious that there was something between you both and you can't deny it!"

"Don't worry Hermione, he might have an interesting face, but I knew from the very beginning, that he's a bad one! And I guess it served him right that I offended his pride with disarming him."

"But if Draco Malfoy is interested in you, you can be sure that he refers only to sexual interests! All his recent love affairs prove that!", Hermione argued.

Alanis sighed and walked to the windows to look at the Hogwarts estates. Hermione might have been true, but Alanis somehow felt that there was something completely wrong about this whole situation.

"I'm suspicious, Hermione.", she slowly began and looked directly in the brown eyes of her best friend, "I feel that this is not Draco Malfoy anymore. And whatever between us might have been, there must be another thing that affects him. And that is definitely linked to his mission."

Hermione just went silent for some moments.

"His mission? What does that mean, Alanis? Is he really working for You-Know-Who?"

"It was not only Harry and us who have been suspicious. Dumbledore and Snape think as well that Malfoy is planning something. Dumbledore ordered me to observe him like Snape does and find out what exactly his mission is, nothing more and nothing less. He believes that Malfoy would be less careful with me if I used the affection that emerged between us to fool him. I just pretend to be interested, Hermione!", she said and looked up to the high towers of Hogwarts castle, ignoring her deep sense of guilt emerging deep in her heart. Hermione gasped.

"Dumbledore thinks as well that Draco is planning something? Does he believe him being a deatheater?"

Alanis frowned. What should she say now? There was no doubt that Draco had to fulfil a mission for Voldemort and even that she didn't want to tell Hermione directly.

But was Draco really a deatheater yet?

"No, I don't think so, Hermione. I think Dumbledore just wants to prevent some dark actions inside of his school. That's all."

Hermione tightened her grip around her arm.

"But honestly, Alanis, do you really not feel anything for Draco?"

Alanis freed herself from Hermione's hand and sighed heavily.

"I just can't tell. The problem is that I wasn't yet able to figure it out.", she mumbled but Hermione didn't let go of her and patted her shoulder.

"Just promise me to be careful, ok?", she whispered.

Alanis looked another time through the window and squinted her eyes and peered to the Astronomy tower. Someone was standing there. And she definitely knew who's shape this was. And she felt her stomach grumble and she got goose bumps as she reckoned him staring back at her.

_Speak of the devil,_ Alanis thought, _and there he is_.

But suddenly Pansy Parkinson wrapped her arms around Malfoy's waist and he turned to her and Alanis was able to see them kissing.

Something seemed to burn in her stomach.

Alanis swallowed down her disappointment and anger. Perhaps Hermione was just right and Malfoy chatted up every girl he was attracted to. And Alanis was just one out of hundred.

Just a girl.

Just a number.

"I promise."

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	16. Chapter 16

**Hey guys! Please forgive me that late update, but I really tried hard to finish that chapter this day and hope that you will like it. I hope that you enjoy Malfoy acting that bad as I do... But Alanis will know how to defend herself...Please keep on reviewing! I'd love to receive comments and critics as well, please tell me everything you think of that story! Please enjoy it!**

**Please Review! Thanks!**

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><p>"Draco, you scoundrel, you!", Marietta Edgecomb whispered, giggled and grabbed Draco's head to lead him to another passionate kiss.<p>

Draco moaned and pulled her tiny body closer to his and he felt that second little Ravenclaw girl pull on his trousers and unfasten his belt. But he'd already forgotten her name. He knew that Blaise was interested in her, but Draco didn't mind. What Blaise didn't know would not upset him.

And anyway, why to care about him? Why to care about anyone else?

Draco just wanted to relax, used those girls as long as he liked to do and then he would throw them away. But he even wondered how often in the last few weeks he had to give his passion and lust free rein. But he just let it gladly happen. There were enough girls that were at his feet and he could easily seduce. He now even managed to get two of them! How could a man ever be more pleased?

He moaned as Marietta kissed him deep and as he felt that other girl's hands everywhere on his body.

Only for seconds he knitted his eyebrows and kissed Marietta with less passion back, but he soon managed to keep his remorse and rationality out of his mind. There was no way he would ever regret his actions.

He knew he was far away know from being a man with his childish behaviour, but they let him forget everything and that had always been his main purpose.

Draco closed his eyes and leaned his head back, as Marietta kissed his neck and caressed the most soft spots on his skin.

_Why couldn't it be you?_

Draco's body tensed and he clenched his fists to avoid him pushing that two girls away from him.

He had to stop thinking. He had thought that his old behaviour, his old way of living his life and even neglecting his new duties would ease his tempers. However, he still blanked out that he had to continue fixing that bloody cabinet and he feared the moment when his guilty conscience would bring him back to earth. But as long as he was able to enjoy himself, he would do it.

But he'd even got more and more mad. Everyone had still noticed that.

Pansy seemed to be the only one who didn't mind as he recently paid her more attention, even if he just preferred her body.

"Draco?"

The two girls hesitated and Draco grunted angrily. Who the hell would disturb him? He would never ever again get this chance!

Draco unwillingly looked into the direction where that question came from. Blaise stood there and stared at them open mouthed. But as soon as Blaise saw Draco returning his gaze, he shut his mouth and straightened himself up, as he saw that particular little Ravenclaw girl caressing the most intimate parts of his best friend.

Draco unintentionally felt his blood boil with new excitement and that even increased his passion.

Blaise still watched them disbelieving, but Draco just smirked at him, loosened his grip from Marietta's hip and stretched his hand out to Blaise.

"C'mon mate, join in!", he groaned with a dark voice, but Blaise just stood still where he was.

Marietta next to him giggled and continued to kiss him, that Ravenclaw girl just stared at Blaise if she just understood what she'd been doing. Draco laughed out loud and grabbed Marietta again and put his hand on her chest. Blaise looked as if he had just bitten in a sour lemon, but wasn't able to move.

"What's up Blaise? You're usually not very prudish!"

Draco laughed another time. Blaise didn't look very amused. He slowly backed away, with a most nauseated expression on his face.

"It is enough.", Blaise's voices sounded rasping.

Draco cocked his eyebrows, grabbed that little Ravenclaw girl and kissed her hard, ignoring her flinching and snogged her until she gave in and moaned against his lips.

Blaise turned around on his heels and tread down the corridor, his eager steps echoing on the slightly damp walls of the dungeons.

"Come on Blaise! Don't be a killjoy!", Draco shouted between some deep kisses.

What a friend! Draco panted heavily and grinned.

Suddenly he flinched once more. Should he really do this? Betray his friend that way? But there was no way back. He just decided to live his life as he did now and ought not to care about everything else.

"You've mused enough, Draco. Just move on.", Marietta gasped and smiled wickedly at him, and he just reckoned the thick make-up on her face to cover up the pimples, that formed that word 'sneak'. Last year she'd betrayed Potter's organization and a jinx of that bloody Granger disfigured her otherwise pretty face. But there was no face that could impress him anymore.

No girl, actually. But just that particular...

_Shut it!_

"You're right. If we don't, you'll probably miss your apparating-exam."

Just a few more minutes to calm Dracos emotions, to empty his mind, to forget.

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><p>"Oh I love you, Alanis Dumbledore!"<p>

"Don't let Hermione hear that!", Alanis laughed and handed Ron his Transfiguration essay back, which she just had checked or better, completed.

"What should I not hear?", Hermione asked and joined Harry, Ron and Alanis as they made their way to the Great Hall. Ron blushed heavily and Alanis just shrugged.

The whole Hall was already filled with chatting and nervous students, who desperately tried to calm down and remember the three most important rules to apparate in the right way. But Harry and Alanis would not be able to join that exam, as they didn't already pass their seventeenth birthday.

"Good luck, you two!", Alanis and Harry said and headed down the dungeons to their potions lesson.

Just Ernie Macmillan sat there in the classroom, but Alanis knew that there was another student missing.

However, she already had decided not to care about Draco Malfoy anymore. _Just forget him_, Alanis. Slughorn welcomed Harry and Alanis with a big smile on his face, although it appeared to freeze as Harry smiled back.

"Today all of you will chose your favourite potion and brew it properly to be able to hand me a vial of it at the end of this double period! I will just take potluck with you! Hurry up!"

Alanis was just able to stare at Draco Malfoy, arm in arm entering the classroom with two Ravenclaw girls. They all looked quite disarranged, but flattered, the girl's cheeks were burning with a slight tone of rose and they looked quite exhausted. Draco Malfoy besides looked free and easy and had a smug smile on his face.

Draco quickly took that girl's leave and headed to his table, not mentioning anything to Professor Slughorn to excuse his tardiness.

Alanis felt her heart beat faster and she quickly lit the flame under her cauldron to begin to work. Suddenly she felt Harry squeezing her arm and as Alanis squinted to look back at him through the thick fumes which already emerged their cauldrons and she reckoned that she unexpectedly had to fight back her tears.

Why did that bloody moron still affect her that much? He was just a guy! Just a guy like everyone else!

"Is everything alright?", Harry asked and Alanis quickly nodded. She could not let it happen that Harry would recognize her feelings for that bloody moron. Or even her stupid task. And much worse, Malfoy's intention to kill the man that Harry loved so much.

If Draco would move on like he did now, she would never be able to discover what he was planning with that cabinet or how he would arrange to assassinate Dumbledore.

"I just can't decide whether I should brew a Forgetfulness Potion or the Elixir to Introduce Euphoria. I think both of them would serve me at the moment.", Alanis said sadly.

Harry grinned, but she could see him being really bothered about her sudden depressive mood.

"I'll take the Elixir, I think. You can brew the Forgetfulness Potion."

Alanis thankfully nodded, relieved to be able to dabble at that first year potion. Perhaps she would succeed for once.

But bearing that lesson was almost impossible. The last few weeks it was easy for her ignoring Malfoy during the lessons, but now with only four students in the classroom, she almost felt as if she sat right next to him.

Draco, besides, didn't put much effort in his potions work and rather passed the time with flipping that awful little black beans across the room which Alanis had tried so hard to cork up during her detention at Snape's. Ernie grunted as one of them hit his temple and the black liquid almost burnt a hole in his skin.

Slughorn didn't really pay attention to them, as he was still upset about Harry, because he had desperately wanted to persuade him to relinquish a memory about Tom Riddle that Harry needed for his personal lessons at Dumbledore's.

Slughorn therefore didn't invite Harry to his spring party, but Harry didn't mind it at all as he would have the time to spend the evening with Ginny. Finally they got together. And Hermione and Ron were better friends than ever. Why then, Merlin's beard, why didn't Alanis have that luck? Why wasn't she able to fall in love with normal guy, with someone who was not an evil git like Draco Malfoywas?

She was so hurt.

"Watch out!", Harry suddenly cried and quickly extinguished the flame of her cauldron as it was threatened to overflow. Thick blue steam took Alanis' breath and she had to cough.

Malfoy did still catch her attention that much, that she even wasn't able to take care of her boiling potion!

She threw a killing glance at Malfoy who just giggled so much that he almost fell off his stool.

Anyway, Harry was the only one succeeding and finishing his potion, but was just hardly able to impress Slughorn. He quickly shooed them away, as he intended to finish his preparations for the evening and reminded Alanis not to miss his party.

To her astonishment, Hermione and Ron were already waiting for them outside. Hermione embraced Alanis with a big smile on her face.

"I've passed!", she said happily, while Ron was definitely pissed, because he didn't pass the exam just because he left half of his eyebrow behind.

But Alanis smile faded away as she saw Pansy Parkinson, followed by Blaise Zabini, Millicent Bulstrode and even those trolls Crabbe and Goyle, wrapping her arms around Draco.

"I still wonder why, _she_ has passed. I think that mudblood ogled at the examiner.", Pansy giggled and Ron, Harry and Hermione turned around.

Draco laughed out loud.

"She would hardly be able to catch his attention. A mudblood like her will never ever be as beautiful as you are!", he said, glancing deprecatingly at Hermione.

"Don't you even dare to compare Hermione to Parkinson!", Ron spat angrily and took some steps forward, while he reached out for his wand.

Draco cocked his eyebrows, while Alanis felt that she got sick.

"I reluctantly agree with you Weaselbee. There's no one worth to be compared with Pansy.", Draco answered and Alanis just thought she reckoned a little glimpse of him right into her direction.

"How do you bear that little mudblood, Weaselbee? Does she even taste like mud?", Draco asked and smirked, while Pansy and Millicent giggled.

Ron reddened and Harry tried hard to hold him back from lunging at Malfoy.

That was the last straw for Alanis.

"Just fuck off, Malfoy!", Alanis shouted angrily at him and Draco looked at her overtaken. His expression darkened, all of his malicious joy disappeared and he even looked quite baffled.

"No one asked you, Dumbledore.", he spat at her and Alanis was not able to return his gaze and looked into the face of Zabini.

"I think Pansy, I should give you the reward to you that you deserve for passing your examination."

Draco turned around, grabbed Pansy, kissing her passionately, and left.

Alanis panted heavily and disgusted, while Ron spat the worst name-calling profanities at Malfoy that Alanis had ever heard. But she still looked at Zabini, who curled up his lips in an amused smirk, but slightly rolled his eyes as he caught her looking at him.

Somehow she knew that Blaise was as insulted and upset about Draco's childish and ignoble behaviour as Alanis was. And she knew that he was just the only one she could ask to wake Malfoy up.

That spring party was the best opportunity to do so, because Harry and Ginny wouldn't be there, as much as Hermione wouldn't, because recently she loved to spend her free time with Ron.

Alanis would no longer let Malfoy show her his cold shoulder and she would not accept him throwing her as well as himself away like a filthy rag. She would not longer put up with everything.

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	17. Chapter 17

**Hey guys! I hope so much that you all are still with me and enjoy the story! Please forgive me my late update yesterday, but I'll keep on updating daily. Please leave comments and make suggestions, please tell me what you think of the whole story! I gladly read all of the reviews and love to know your opinion! **

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><p>"Zabini?"<p>

He looked at Alanis and nodded as if he had known that she would speak to him. He knew what she was coming for at the very first moment she looked at him at the party. He quickly broke off his heatedly conversation and shooed a Ravenclaw girl away and walked into the corner of the room where he nonchalantly leaned his back on a bookshelf and looked curiously at Alanis, hid him being upset about that conversation he had earlier. He almost seemed being hurt.

Alanis was a bit confused that Blaise would listen willingly to her words and he stared at her that she almost was not able to collect her words. He really seemed to have waited for her to come up to him.

"Come on, Dumbledore, don't mess around!", he growled and traced that Ravenclaw's steps with hungry eyes, as if he was already annoyed being stuck with Alanis.

Alanis cleared her throat.

How should she start? How should she explain that she couldn't bear the acting of Draco Malfoy anymore? As ridiculous it might have been, Alanis had grown jealous and either wanted to deepen what bound Draco and herself together or at least to clarify the relation between them and rule the whole thing off.

But for all that, she needed the help of Blaise Zabini, because he was the closest to Draco.

"I can't look at him any more childishly whispering sweet nothings to all of that silly girls. I can see how he destroys himself. He will fail, I know that he will.", she started slowly and carefully, waiting for Blaise's reaction. He clenched his teeth and breathed in sibilantly.

"He annoys me too. He'd become a big male slut. There's nothing less honourable than him. That's why nobody does his bidding anymore. He's just weak and disgusting."

"You let him ruin himself?", Alanis asked disbelieving, so much wanting to insult the boy in front of her for speaking of Draco like that, but she knew she ought not to.

But as bad these things sounded, they unfortunately were true.

Blaise smirked and showed his perfectly white teeth, while he folded his arms.

"He's a fool. He lets himself rule by childish and silly emotions. But he's not the same anymore."

Alanis trembled. How could she explain herself without revealing that she knew what Draco was doing? Did Blaise even know?

Maybe she should pretend being unaware of Draco's mission.

"What changed him that much? Why does he let himself bring down like this?", she asked.

Blaise rolled his eyes.

"I can't tell what he's doing all night at all, but I can see that he got really lazy with it, as if he was neglecting it, denying that his life is at stake if he fails and you can't tell me that you haven't already noticed that too."

Alanis looked down to her hands which were tightly gripping her glass of gylliwater. Had Blaise always seen that something emerged between Draco and her? Blaise was as much a friend to Draco as Hermione was to Alanis and referring to their feelings, they knew if something changed inside tem.

"I beg you to open his eyes for reality! I can't endure speaking to him, he won't even be listening to me anyway. I mean nothing to him. But I don't want him to be in danger."

At that Blaise laughed out loud and Alanis almost spilled her gylliwater with shock.

"You really think you mean nothing to him? I've never ever seen him that affected and his reactions and thousands of girls prove it! Because of you he just drives himself mad!"

Alanis put her glass away and folded her arms as well, as she felt better with it to oppose Blaise.

Was he speaking the truth? Did he just disclose Draco's feelings to her?

"And you're feeling the same way, every mole could see that. I just tell you this because I'm tired of being stuck with that infatuated idiot.", he said and sighed deeply at her as if she was the biggest idiot of them all.

"But how should I act? I can't just walk to him and express all my feelings to him!"

"You just came up to me, so why don't you face him? Are you not as brave as Gryffindors pretend to be?"

Alanis dropped her shoulders, reddening.

"You are no simple love affair to Draco and that's why he deserves being punished for his feelings for you and behave like a love-stricken blithering idiot. I will never forget him falling for a little average and fairly pretty Gryffindor girl.", Blaise continued.

That was the moment when Alanis felt how unwillingly Blaise was talking to her and she appreciated that he'd forced himself to do it. Zabini Blaise put his pride, his disgust and his wrath about Draco away and faced Alanis Dumbledore and all that proved him being a real companion and friend to Draco.

"Punished?", Alanis repeated and Zabini gave her another smirk, bowed his head to her.

"He must feel what you feel, and worse. I want to see him being hurt, and that would be my punishment, my wake up call for him."

"But how should we fix that?"

"_You_ will fix that, Dumbledore girl. You have to show him that you are as well able to counter him with his own insults and provocation to you. Believe me, that would be enough to wound his pride."

"I won't manage that. There's no one he would ever be jealous of."

But then they both looked at each other, holding their breaths and Alanis slowly shook her head as Zabini cocked his eyebrow at her.

"No!"

"It's silly. Just forget it."

The uncomfortable silence between them grew bigger and bigger and Alanis felt her limbs getting limp and she quickly put her cup down on the shelf beneath her. There was no way that Alanis could work together with Blaise, even if it was for their own interests! What were they thinking?

She shouldn't have talked to him. It anyway didn't lead to anything but the realization that Draco was still an evil and stupid git and that Alanis obviously would just be another one in his collection. Blaise might have reckoned Draco changing, but perhaps Draco was just desperately wanting to add Alanis to his love affairs and was that affected to her just because of the exciting circumstances that bound, or better separated them. Draco loved the thrill and would not rest until Alanis surrendered to him. That must have been the right conclusion, Alanis was sure about it.

In fact, Alanis just wished that to be true and even would have agreed to be one of his love affairs, if it would mean nothing to them and better the situation. But there was yet more than their simple affection and they could not deny it.

Blaise raised his hand and let it run through his shortcut hair, closing his eyes.

"That's right, Dumbledore. He would not be jealous of any other guy in Hogwarts."

And then he suddenly reached out and placed a lightly kiss on her shaking hand and threw an intensively intriguing and perfidious glare at her.

"But he would be jealous of _me_."

* * *

><p>Draco took the few steps down to the dungeons, arm in arm with Pansy Parkinson, his tie loosened and a satisfied smile on his face. What a day!<p>

He chuckled. Blaise would be bored to death at that little Slugclub spring party and je just had a nice tete-a-tete with Pansy Parkinson. How much he'd missed this little adventures!

They cleared his mind, made him forget his problems, made him happy, relieved.

"What's up Draco?", asked Pansy as the almost reached the entrance to the Slytherin common room. She must have noticed him being absorbed in thoughts.

Draco glared at her and suddenly pushed her arm away.

"I just need a walk. A quiet walk."

I felt a sharp and sudden ache in his stomach, as he reminded himself of the time he spent with that little Dumbledore girl. Merlin's beard, he missed it so much. A quiet walk beneath that girl would calm him down like nothing else.

But all of that was over. He had to be content with that what he was able to get, and that was every other girl in that school, except her. He even was able to warm himself up spending some time with Pansy, just in order to drag this Dumbledore girl off his mind.

But there were still some moments when he needed to be alone.

"I'll join you!", Pansy squealed with glee, but Draco shook her immediately off and backed away.

"I have to have some private space."

Pansy smiled flirtatiously at him and Draco felt a lot uncomfortable, felt that everything was completely wrong. He shuddered remembering what he had been doing with her the past hours.

"I can understand this, Draco, he must have to be exhausted after that...day."

Draco just gave her a strained and weary smile and left her behind, walking down the corridor.

He desperately needed some fresh air.

He just walked down the corridor to the portrait which led back to the staircase, but stood still as he could hear muffled moans. Quickly he turned around the corner.

What the-?

He couldn't believe his eyes.

Blaise stood there in front of the portrait, embracing and kissing a girl that Draco never ever imagined being in the mere closeness to his best friend. Their bodies were pressed to each other and their kiss was so passionate, so intimate, that Draco felt likely to vomit. They were clung to each other and didn't even separate themselves as they stopped kissing and looked back at him.

"Draco...", Blaise began, but Draco had no eyes for him and just glared at the girl.

Her face was red and her lips swollen of the deep kiss, her eyes were glistening with triumph.

That little bitch!

Alanis Dumbledore was snogging Zabini Blaise!

And he knew definitely why she did it.

He knew that he himself had not been acting any better, but seeing that girl in another one's arms drove him crazy. And that other guy was Blaise, his best friend!

But that girl had chosen well.

His blood boiled with rage and hurt. How could Blaise do that to him? He was likely to chop Zabini's head off, but he still wasn't able to detach his disbelieving and incensed glare of Alanis.

Draco's body tensed with jealousy and he pressed his lips together.

Blaise had taken her before him.

Blaise had stolen the kiss that should be his.

She should be his.

And it just was his own fault, his own priggish actions drove her in his best friends arms.

He could no longer do that.

He could no longer deny his affection.

It would kill him if he didn't, and that was really the truth if it henceforth kept him away from repairing the Vanishing Cabinet and concocting other plans to assassinate Dumbledore.

But he wasn't able to move and inch, because he didn't know what he would do if he did.

He wouldn't be able to control his wrath.

"You're welcome, mate.", Blaise suddenly said, smirked and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand as if he had to get rid of Alanis' taste. He gave Alanis a quick nod, bowed slightly before her, which she answered with a shy smile and left.

Draco wasn't even able to breathe.

That couldn't be true!

"Stay!", Draco barked huskily, but Blaise ignored him and moved on, just beckoning to him.

Blaise deceived him. He knew exactly what was going on inside Draco and apparently he kissed that girl just open Draco's eyes, maybe to pay him back taking that little Ravenclaw girl too. Well, it worked out.

How obvious had Draco's affection for Dumbledore been?

But what made that girl kissing Blaise?

Draco stared back at her, her face was still blushed and she bit her tender lips that eagerly, that they almost began to bleed.

"Don't you even dare to say a word!", he spat at her, as he saw her gasping.

Alanis flinched back and looked to the floor.

But Draco wasn't any longer able to face her and took some steps behind. His rage was still immense and even seemed to increase with every breath he took.

"Did you leastwise enjoy it, Dumbledore?", he asked quietly.

He saw her clenching her fists.

"What do you mean?"

"To make a fool out of me?"

She looked up and gave him a crooked smile which he never ever had seen on her face.

"You've already managed to do that yourself.", she answered bitterly and he could see how satisfied she was. Indeed, she really had worked together with Blaise and even went that far, that she kissed him to just to pay Draco back. Draco had underestimated her boldness.

He didn't want to run away, he really did not. But there was no other way to be alone.

"I need some fresh air."

With every step he took away from her he felt the tension rise between them. There was so much unexpressed between that Dumbledore girl and him, but Draco couldn't bear to stay.

Nor he even wanted her silence beneath him.

He needed to be alone.

Alone with his stupid thoughts and emotions.

His despair.

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	18. Chapter 18

**Hey everyone! Finally, here's the next chapter. Thank you very much for all the reviews and I hope that this chapter will not dissapoint you. I think this one is quite intense once more... Please keep commenting! I appreciate every single comment!**

**Enjoy!**

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><p>Alanis trembled as she took her steps to the top of the Astronomy tower. She knew that Draco was there and perhaps waited for her joining him, although he would deny it. But what would she do? What could she say to keep him calm?<p>

How should she be able facing him, ignoring her feelings for him and considering what she just had done? Kissing Blaise was definitely the worst idea she'd ever had. She'd realized that from the first delicate and beguiling movement of Blaise's lips on hers and Draco's horrified expression just proved it.

How should she explain that she wanted to help Draco, even wanted much more than that, but didn't want to spy on him? How should she do that without mentioning anything of Dumbledore's awareness and Snape's real position?

But Alanis surrendered fighting with herself and just tried to smile as she reached the top. However, how much this smile would have worked, she would have never came to know it, because Draco stood there, leaning on the handrail, with his back towards her.

She was riveted as she looked at him. He seemed to be far more away than he'd ever been, as if only knowing him would be some kind of revelation of starry-eyed she was, she could have stayed there only looking at him.

The more she looked at his shape, hardly illuminated by the dim light, the more she wanted to wrap her arms around him and hold him tight. She even wanted to apologize.

"Draco." she said, finally testing his first name on her tongue.

Draco straightened himself up, but didn't mind to face her.

"Leave me alone."

"But I have to stay. I want to talk to you.", Alanis said and took some unsteady steps until she stood by his side. He even then didn't look at her and focused something in the distance. She could feel the tension inside him.

"Can't you finally leave me alone?", Draco asked her with a tired voice, which frightened her.

What the hell did break him down that much that he even didn't have the strength to quarrel with her? Was he really that hurt of her kissing Blaise?

But she would not apologize for how she'd paid him back, never.

Alanis looked his face all over, which showed his fear, despair and loneliness, too.

There were still some other important things she had to tell him, considering her own task.

"I don't judge you obeying the orders of You-Know-Who, as he threatens and forces you to fulfil his wishes. But I refuse to accept you wanting to destroy yourself by doing this all alone. You need help!", Alanis began slowly, but Draco didn't seem to be willingly to listen to her, as his body tensed.

Did she already say too much? But she had to make things clear.

"You want to repair the Vanishing Cabinet, so let me help you with it. I can fix this. My father's a pro to do that and I'm sure I learned a lot from him.", she continued hopefully, but his expression was empty.

"You have to know that things are different with objects and animate beings. Father always said that-"

"Your father is dead! Don't you realize that? Don't you realize who did it?", Draco suddenly snapped and furiously faced her.

"Don't you see who murdered you parents? That death eaters killed them? That _we_ did it?", he spat and vigorously uncovered his left arm, "That _I_ killed them?"

And there it was. Horribly seeming to pulse as fear let her shiver, it disfigured his white skin, the Dark Mark.

So Harry's suggestion was right, from the very first moment. Draco was a death eater, not just someone who was about to fulfil a task of Lord Voldemort. And this task was to kill Dumbledore.

The presence of the dark power inside him threatened Alanis, although she always knew where Draco belonged to. She couldn't bear this sight of him, which was much worse than him showing her his vulnerability.

Alanis unconsciously took one step behind.

"You didn't. You would not kill, Draco!", she whispered, not able to look away from his Dark Mark.

"But I did!", Draco cried and his voice trembled as much as her body did. "It was part of my initiation. I had to kill innocent people who didn't want to join the Dark Lord. Those people could as well have been your parents! I'm a murderer!"

As much as Alanis wanted to answer, she couldn't. She was horrified and finally brought back to earth.

There was no space for that fancy desire for him. She had to face the reality of murder, cruelty and darkness.

Those had to be the only bonds between them.

They both had to fulfil their tasks, in order to save themselves. Alanis had to be at the good side, she owed Harry to support him, as this would include obeying Dumbledore's orders and trusting that he knew what was best for Harry.

"I have to keep my mother away from any danger she would be threatened by the Dark Lord. I promised her to regain the honour that my dad took from us. I have to retain my family as best as I could. And therefore I was forced to become a deatheater and a villain. I took somebody's families to get my own back.", Draco said and clenched his teeth. "I'm a coward and a murderer and I don't deserve any pity and even no self-pity. Because this is my fate, my mission. So I beg you to leave."

There was just silence and a few seconds nobody of them didn't even dare to breathe.

Alanis looked away down to the Hogwarts Lake which reflected the full moon and sighed.

"I'll stay."

She could fancy his bewildered expression, but now it was her turn to ignore him staring at her. But in fact he looked at her as if he wanted to hit her from despair, hurt and amazement, and otherwise leech onto her, with big question marks in his eyes.

"I'll stay to prevent you from having self-pity. Additionally you'll never get any compassion from me. That's why I stay.", Alanis said.

Draco hung his head to hide his urgency to knock his fist against the wall.

Then he looked up and she could read something in his eyes, she'd never seen before. He was thankful, angry, hid his little glance of desire for her very well and there was another thing, too.

Shame.

"So you're going to be my punishment?", he asked bitterly, but gave her a sad and even infatuating smile.

She raised her arm and hesitantly touched his still uncovered arm with her fingertips and ignored him flinching.

"I'm going to help you preparing Dumbledore's assassination."

But at that moment, Alanis knew that with this few words every kind of relationship they ever had, was ruined.

* * *

><p>Draco quivered with rage as he pushed her hand away.<p>

How did she get to know what he planned? How did she know that he was about to kill Albus Dumbledore?

He realized himself having put out his wand as he pointed it at her.

Alanis looked horrified. She knew that she had done something wrong. She just had given herself away.

Draco now understood. She only was interested in him, or better intended to have a crush on him in order to spy on him. She had the advantage of being new at the school, of Draco not really knowing her, and that made her interesting and perhaps trustworthy.

After he almost got rid of that traitor Severus Snape, the Order of the Phoenix must have sent her to spy on him. She was announced to find out his plans, using their fascination for themselves which had just risen up as they first had met. So there probably was no sympathy from her for him. And therefore she was lying. She wouldn't help him. She would only want stop him killing her relative, preventing him from repairing the Vanishing Cabinet.

And he let himself lull into trusting her and ruling himself by his feelings and just told her that he was a deatheater!

It wasn't that him being a death eater was a secret, all Slytherins and other Hogwarts students did know that. But he was about to reveal every feeling he had, he just showed himself fearful and vulnerable to her. He should have better known it. There was no way that Gryffindors and

Slytherins could be together, even if it was just for physical pleasures.

It anyway didn't get that far between them and he was thankful for that.

"How do you know that?", he asked fiercely.

Alanis was pale and did seem to have lost her voice and he could see her trying to collect and prepare to defend herself. But she just backed away, without being able to answer him.

"Who told you to spy on me?", Draco demanded, but Alanis kept her mouth shut.

And then he saw tears falling down her cheeks. Was she still deceiving him? Was she that way trying to prevent him from hurting her? Did she really think that tears could stop him even torturing her to find out what he wanted to know?

"I've been honest to you with saying that I want to help you, Draco. You ought not care about what had driven me to offer you my support. Believe me, I still ask myself why I have to do that, and even _other_ things. I still ask myself why I can't let you ruin yourself. Why I can't stay away from you.", Alanis suddenly murmured and looked down to her feet.

Little, bloody liar, Draco thought angrily.

"But how do you now of Dumbledore?", Draco asked and stepped closer, still pointing his wand at her.

"It was Snape. I know it from Snape.", Alanis answered slowly and Draco felt that she kept something away from him.

Snape? Why would Snape tell her what Draco's mission had been?

She was lying. There was no other way. But as long as she was aware from his plan, the Vanishing Cabinet, that he was a death eater and that he had to kill Dumbledore, she was a danger to him.

He had to curse her. He had to extinguish her memories or put her under the Imperius-curse.

And forget about everything else.

"Why should Snape tell you?", Draco asked.

He could see that Alanis fought with herself.

"Snape and I are ordered to help you finishing whatever you started. I am not your enemy!"

But at that Draco went mad, raised his wand and without thinking he cursed her. The disarming spell hit her hard and knocked her into the wall, so that she let out a painful moan and collapsed at his feet.

"I need no help! It is my task and no one must put his nose into things of mine!", he screamed, "And you are only told to spy at me, as much as this traitor Snape is! You _are_ my enemy! Why would you try to help me killing your relative? Why should I trust you? Why shouldn't I curse you once and for all? Why shouldn't I finish you off, as you're a danger to my mission?"

His breath came out in heavy pants, but as he looked at the girl to his feet, he felt himself getting weak. Alanis' face was drowned in tears and as she tried to pull herself up, sobbing, she just glanced at him with a painful expression.

As he looked at her, realizing that he just really had attacked her, he knew that the last thing on earth he would have ever done, was wanting to hurt her. Even if she really had been his enemy, he would have never wanted to cause her pain.

"I…"

As he took one step forward and reached out for her, she backed away, turned around and escaped, headed down the steps.

_Holy crap_, Draco thought.

_I'm just falling for her_.

He wanted to follow her, but he had to calm himself down. He still felt likely to hurt her.

She said that she wasn't his enemy. But how should he know that to be true?

Snape said that he wanted to help because he'd done this unbreakable vow with his mother. But Alanis said that Snape and she were both ordered to do it. Voldemort could hardly be the employer.

Draco stiffened.

There was just only one man left.

The only man who was connected to Snape and Alanis as well.

It was Dumbledore himself.

Draco's palms grew sweaty and he had to tighten his grip around his wand. That would mean that Dumbledore knew that Draco's intention was to kill him! And he didn't try to prevent it. Dumbledore did nothing to save himself. On the contrary, he ordered Snape and Alanis to support him fulfilling his task!

Dumbledore wanted Draco to succeed!

Why would he do that?

And then Draco understood.

If Draco would fail, the unbreakable vow would make sure that Snape had to kill Dumbledore and that would Voldemort make trusting Snape entirely. Draco didn't understand why Dumbledore would make that sacrifice.

Draco was intended to be helped until the point that he should fail. He _would_ fail murdering once more and Snape and Dumbledore knew that.

They didn't care about him, only thought of having an advantage over Voldemort. And Snape _was_ this advantage, this bloody fucking traitor!

Draco was nothing more than a puppet. And Alanis?

He didn't know. Maybe too.

But the only thing he really wanted to know about her was if she'd been honest.

Honest with him.

And there was only one way to find out.

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	19. Chapter 19

**Hey guys! Thanks a lot for your awesome reviews! But you out there, all my great readers, can't you just do me the favour and tell me more about your opinion? I'm just dying for comments, no matter how bad or good, I would just love to see how you all respond to my first fanfic. **

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* * *

><p>Alanis wrapped herself in her blankets and urged her body to stop shaking.<p>

Everyone was still in the common room, and Alanis had darted quickly to the dormitories before, hiding her tears and ignoring Ginny asking to join her in the common room.

Now everything was over. She had failed, not only with her task, also with her personal concerns. Draco would never trust her again.

That night he had trusted her, as he showed her his feelings, his fear of Voldemort and losing his family.

She had told him too much. Draco wasn't a fool, he was clever enough to put things together to understand that Dumbledore knew that Draco was about to kill him. She now had spoiled the whole plan.

Snape would be likely to kill her, if he got to know that. But she could understand Snape, because he had to keep his cover.

She would rather bear being killed by Snape than Draco cursing her once more.

She rubbed her limbs. She wasn't hurt that much, but she had some very bad bruises. But the most bad and painful bruise was that at her heart. Why hadn't she been more careful with her words? Why did she dismiss the consequences if she gave away some important information?

Snape had been right. She was a danger to Dumbledore's plan. She sobbed. Didn't Aberforth not warn her about getting involved into Albus' plans?

She should have taken him serious.

But what should she do know? How should she explain the whole thing to Dumbledore?

Dumbledore had trusted her, he even approved her infatuation for Draco Malfoy. She know felt as if she abused his belief in her.

She wished she could speak to Hermione, but her best friend wouldn't understand her anyway.

Maybe poor Ariana would have lend her an ear, but she was too far away.

She buried her face into the pillow and hoped to fall asleep quickly.

* * *

><p>"Draco, my sweetheart! Wake up! We have to get you something in the stomach! You look awfully pale this morning!"<p>

Draco moaned and opened his eyelids languidly. There was nothing worse on earth than being woken up by the twanging voice of Pansy Parkinson, who was wrapping her arms around his neck as if she wanted her to debauch him to have a little morning-tryst.

How could he ever let himself getting involved with her?

He managed to escape Pansy's embracement and after his morning toilet he hardly felt like having any breakfast and skipped it not for the first time in this week.

There was still one thing in his head.

One person, in particular.

Draco was happy, that they hadn't got any classes together that day, because he couldn't bear looking at Alanis. How would she explain to her friends the bruises he caused her?

How could he go on repairing the Vanishing Cabinet, knowing, that his effort was for nothing?

But he had to be calm. He had to use the occlumency-techniques that his aunt Bellatrix had taught him.

He left the Slytherin common room and headed to the courtyard which led to the Hogwarts estates. He had to leave the castle, also if it only was a short way to the owlery, but this walk would clear his mind. At his way through the corridors he saw the bat-like figure of Severus Snape patrolling. But it was too late to get away from passing him and Draco tried to look as if he was in a hurry and ignored Snape.

But Snape reached out and grabbed him, to hold him back from going ahead.

"Last night was the third time you ignored me commissioning you to come to my office, Mr Malfoy. I won't accept you declining my orders another time. There could be more far-reaching consequences, outside of these walls too.", Snape said with a low voice, but Draco managed to free himself from his grip.

"Which consequences, _Professor_? Will you tell the Dark Lord how miserably I hitherto failed? Or will you tell Dumbledore something about me, what he already knows?", Draco spat provokingly and reckoned his rage about the knowledge that Alanis had revealed to him unintentionally.

Snape's gaze froze.

"Explain yourself!"

But Draco just smiled.

"Don't exert yourself, professor. I'm likely to finish everything I started and won't fail and disappoint you. Miss Dumbledore and the headmaster as well. But I would approve you to leave me alone. My methods to fulfil the task _he_ gave me are none of your business!"

Draco walked ahead and left the potions master behind. This traitor was not worth to speak with.

"What did she tell you?"

Snape's voice was so low and silent, that Draco had to hesitate. He reckoned that he just did the same mistake as Alanis did last night. He let himself control by his feelings.

And with that he threatened Alanis. If Snape found out that Alanis gave Draco the impulse to discover Snape's position and Dumbledore's awareness, Snape would have punished Alanis, or worse.

So what should Draco answer? But Snape was as well able to make conclusions out of what Draco had already said.

He closed his eyes, as rage filled him another time. If Snape would hurt Alanis, Draco would pay him back twice. He looked back to Snape, who was paler than ever, stiffened and full of furiousness.

"She's my concern, professor. There's nothing you should worry about."

* * *

><p>"You know that this time it was very hard to calm Severus down, my dear Alanis."<p>

"I know.", answered Alanis and still looked down into her lap. It was a wonder that Dumbledore remained that calm, as Alanis told him her version about last night at the astronomy tower.

He even didn't seem to be angry with her. Just maintaining his calmness, the pure friendliness of Albus Dumbledore.

"But I urge you not to stir up his attention when you meet him, Alanis. He is still in a mood which I would call 'likely to use dark magic' and that would disagree with you and Mr Malfoy as well.", Dumbledore said and looked at her through his half-moon glasses, smiling sadly at her.

"I'm so sorry!", Alanis affirmed, but Dumbledore waved aside.

"You know that I'm disappointed from you, Alanis, but I can understand that your feelings were obstructive for your acting. Draco is clever enough to put things together and will realise that I know that Voldemort commanded him to murder me. So now your only possibility to remain the master of the situation is to be honest to him, Alanis. You both have to work together to make Voldemort believe that Draco is still working undiscovered and more important, successfully. And this time, my dear, you must not fail."

Alanis nodded. She'd known that she now had to tell Draco the whole truth. But where to begin? She could not just come up to him and ask him to listen to her. She was just not able to do that after what happened the day before. There was no way she could ever again bear his wrath directly beaming towards her.

Suddenly someone knocked at the door. It was Harry.

"Ah, Harry, on time, as always!"

"Professor! I've got it!", Harry said excitedly, raising his fist which seemed to enclose something of particular importance and Dumbledore cocked his eyebrows with sudden excitement. Albus' eyes were suddenly glistering with roguish spiritedness.

"So I fear for today we have to say goodbye, Alanis. I hope the next time we'll meet in better conditions."

Harry looked tensed and baffled as he looked at her, but she forced herself to smile at him.

Alanis was happy to get out and back to the common room. She almost ran up the staircase to the Gryffindor common room and was relieved as she reached the fat Lady.

"_Abstinence._", Alanis hissed.

"Your looks are quite bad, this day. Quite unusual. You'd better hurry up to your bed!", the fat Lady said and swung open. Ron and Hermione sat at the fireplace and Alanis decided to join them to distract herself from her dark thoughts.

"Hey.", Alanis said and sat down.

"Hi.", said Hermione and barely looked up from her Potions essay, but as Alanis saw Hermione crossing out a bunch of sentences, she knew that it must have been Ron's or Harry's.

She was likely to ask her if she would check her own essay, but didn't care about it that moment and would not anyway grudge her that satisfaction.

Ron therefore paid Alanis more attention and offered her some chocolate frogs. Alanis was glad to take some mouthful of chocolate which always seemed to warm her heart.

Ron let his Fanged Frisbee, that he took from a poor little first class student, whirl around in the common room, but Alanis could hardly smile. However Ron tried to make her laugh, she felt herself not really cheered up.

Hermione finally finished the essay and joined in. Alanis knew that she could barely hide her bad mood in front of Hermione, but she didn't want to leave them to spend another horribly evening and night alone up there in the girls' dormitories.

"Harry sent Dobby and Kreacher on Malfoy's track.", Hermione said suddenly.

"What?"

Alanis almost jumped off her seat, but immediately tried to calm down as she mentioned Ron looking suspiciously at her and missing to catch his Frisbee, which immediately took the chance to snap at his freckled nose.

"But they didn't find out a lot, as he seemed to neglect his duties the last time, but they knew that he was entering the Room of Requirement regularly.", Hermione said calmly and Alanis knew that she just wanted to warn her.

Hermione had not told Harry or Ron about Alanis finding out that Dumbledore and Snape knew of Draco having a mission, because she knew how unpleasant it would be for Alanis not obeying Dumbledore's orders to keep quiet about it.

But if Harry found out more, Malfoy and Alanis would be in great trouble.

"Parvati Patil told me that Katie Bell will return from St. Mungo soon.", Hermione continued.

This attracted Alanis' attention another time. Was everything going wrong now? Wasn't it just enough for Draco discovering that Dumbledore knew everything? How would he cope with looking in the eyes of his victim?

"For sure?", she asked and Ron let out an amused grunt.

"I hope that she then will soon join the team again. Otherwise we would hardly have a chance to win the cup."

Hermione let out a frustrated groan.

"Will you ever leave that foolish Quidditch behind? You should rather be happy that she's fine again!"

"You better not tell Harry, Hermione, or he would chase Katie to find out if Malfoy cursed her.", Ron said and smiled, trying to satisfy her with that serious consideration but it faded away as Hermione looked at him still angrily.

"Do you think she'll remember something, something about the one who cursed her", Alanis asked and tried to hide her excitement.

Hermione frowned and said: "If she did, everyone would still know that."

Alanis quickly looked away. Hermione knew that Alanis felt something for Draco and therefore she had to be careful.

But they were luckily interrupted by a knock at one of the windows.

"An owl?", Ron asked surprised and Alanis stood up to open the window. On the owl's feet was a little note for her, written in emerald green ink and Alanis quickly unbound it.

_Rationality __Or Relationship?_

Alanis smirked at that three words. Even if she had to chose, she didn't know how to decide. But she knew that this wasn't the main message she should have received. These three words had something in common with three other words. the first letters of them. The Room of Requirement.

That's where she should obviously go now. And although she was somehow afraid to do it, it was the best message that she got for weeks.

"What is it?", asked Hermione, but Alanis shook her head defensively.

"It's nothing important, but it remembers me that I forgot my bag at Dumbledore's. I think I'll get it now.", Alanis said and headed directly to the portrait without saying goodbye.

"Don't you think that Harry would mind bringing it along?", Hermione asked suspiciously and Alanis smiled warmly.

"I'll get it by myself."

And with those words she was just gone.

"Merlin's pants, what was that?", Ron asked astonished and even forgot the chocolate frog in his hand, which he was just about to eat. Hermione shrugged.

"It is not her bag why she left, because it is right there, next to your feet, Ron.", Hermione answered and pointed out her index finger at the brown leather bag.

"So why did she leave that urgently? Do you think it was because of the message?"

"I fear I can guess."

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	20. Chapter 20

**Hey everyone! Right before you is the next chapter and maybe something that all of you were desperately waiting for. Therefore I hope so much that you all will enjoy it as much as I did with writing it. I hope you all are still with me and are likely to give me your comments about the progress of the story! Please keep it up!**

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><p>The castle seemed to be bigger when the corridors weren't filled with chatting now sheltered such a quietness, that Draco felt himself tighten with excitement. He loved the castle at night and the thought of wandering around without passing the annoying students. But this time he liked the idea of being not alone.<p>

The only way that Draco could find out whether Alanis was on his side or a danger to him, was using the Room of Requirement. This room would not lie to him.

_I need a place where no enemy of mine could find me._

He intensively repeated that thought in his mind, until a door appeared in the wall. Draco entered the room and was as always astonished of its dimension.

But this time it was not filled with things that people lost or had hidden, this time the room was completely empty. There was just a huge hall which seemed to be quite similar to the Great Hall, but it was hardly illuminated by some torches on the walls.

Draco took his steps forward.

Was it really the room that Draco required?

But there was just one purpose he came to the room, and it must have considered that.

This time there should only be Alanis and him, if Alanis was able to enter.

He felt himself hoping so much that she would be able to enter. If she could not, the whole thing would be impedimental to his mission, because he would have to fight her and even worse, banish her away entirely from his life.

And all that because of his task. His bloody mission.

He couldn't care less about his mission at the moment, but now, as he's faced Alanis and was awakened by her from his numbness, the fact that he just had abandoned his task willingly, shocked him. But now he had more problems and concerns than even before.

As he reached the middle of the hall, he stood still and turned around to face the door.

It would only be a question of time until Alanis arrived, he was sure of that.

And with that thought, he suddenly felt himself shiver.

In fact, he waited for her and that was completely new to him.

His desire for her never disappeared, it nevertheless increased the last hours, but he knew he didn't deserve touching any part of her any more, as he'd cursed her last night. His physical urgencies had to wait or he even had to suppress them, until Alanis and him spoke out their further positions.

He only wanted to tease and challenge her with his little note that he'd sent her and he was aching to know how she would second reason for that little note was, that he wanted to show her with it how much he wanted to be with her, how hard it was for him to find out that she was probably spying on him, no matter how much she liked him. But they both hardly had any chance to chose.

He hoped that they leastwise could hold on their tension between them, as it seemed to be theironly pleasure they could have that days.

He was cut off his thoughts, as the door opened silently and Alanis stepped in. Her face was blushed, he could see her smiling shyly at him and holding his note in her left hand.

_She's done it_, he thought relieved. She entered the room and if the room wasn't lying or deceived, she really wasn't his enemy. Otherwise she couldn't have entered.

Alanis closed the door and didn't hesitate stepping closer, and he even didn't reckon herlooking around, she just focused on him, blanking everything else out. As Draco set himself in motion too, Alanis steps fastened and he could see her smile clenching in her face.

However, how could she smile at him, after what he's done?

But as they were closer, he could see some tears falling down her cheeks, and he jerked to a halt. Alanis did not.

Before Draco could react, before he really understood, Alanis wrapped his arms around him and led him into a tight embracement. He could feel her body shaking against his, but her grip was fiercely and although she'd been a girl she almost crushed his bones.

Draco didn't mind, he just was happy to feel her, let his arms run up and down her back.

He buried his face in her hair and finally whispered: "I'm sorry."

Alanis didn't answer, but just tightened her embracement.

She was right, Draco thought, there was actually no need of words.

But Draco pulled her away and looked at the bruises on her arms. He gently rubbed them with his thumbs and looked in Alanis' face.

This time she neither smiled, nor cried. She just locked onto his gaze and they both seemed to dive into each other.

Draco tried to prevent it, but he couldn't help himself but entered her thoughts, using his legilimency-skills. But he just saw _him_ inside her mind, nothing more and nothing less. His presence prevailed, and that was too much for him, overwhelming.

"Are you able to answer to my question?", Draco asked stiffly and pointed at the note in her fist. Alanis nodded. And then he couldn't help himself raising his arm and stroke her cheek.

"I'll chose neither of them.", she said and he saw the corner of her mouth vellicating.

Draco felt himself stiffen.

"But I have a question too, Draco.", Alanis said calmly, "Will you continue?"

Draco sighed heavily and detached himself from her.

"So I guessed right, did I? Dumbledore knows everything and ordered Snape and you to 'support' me. He used both of you to create the puppets he needed, to have an advantage against Voldemort. I'm now the puppet of the Dark Lord and Dumbledore as well! And you helped him to make me to it!", Draco answered angrily.

Alanis shook her head.

"I wanted to help you from the very beginning, no matter on which side you were. It was my only wish. I just had to do it, the other things just followed inevitably.", Alanis whispered and looked to the ground.

"But you know who I am. You know on which side I belong. You can't tell me you just overlooked that!", Draco argued and felt himself raging.

Alanis still looked sadly to the stone floor.

"You did all of it too, Draco! That little crush between you and me caused us to do so! But it was my fault that I got involved in your mission and now we have to finish it together to avoid Voldemort discovering everything. You have to continue! We have to!", Alanis affirmed.

"Just a little crush? That's how you call it?", Draco spat.

He knew that this was the least important part of their conversation, but it hurt him hearing her talk like this. She just admitted that she couldn't help herself helping him, obviously because of her interest and feelings for him and then called their relationship 'little crush'. Did she try to strike a balance between rationality and relationship?

"That's the only thing we can allow us to have!", Alanis reaffirmed and looked up.

"We're now in the same boat. So why shouldn't we be honest?"

"Honest?", repeated Alanis sadly.

"Rationality or Relationship? You're free to chose, but do it now!"

But Alanis was stubborn and refused to answer. She was just as stubborn as Draco himself was.

Draco stared at her and he felt rage together with desire for her growing in big waves which made his body tremble. He couldn't bear it any longer. They both were anyway threatened to lose everything. So he didn't wait for her to answer, grabbed her and kissed her hard.

She wasn't very surprised, rather satisfied and he felt her pleasure emerging, which had just waited in her to be released, as she kissed him back.

And bloody hell, her lips where so soft, although their kiss was fiercely.

Draco grabbed her arms and pushed her against him, that she moaned and replied his kiss with passion and hunger. She pressed her body against him and he let his tongue dart out to taste her entirely.

Kissing her was much better than he ever imagined, and therefore his body wasn't satisfied and his lust grew with every single kiss they shared, with every sigh that escaped their lips.

He wouldn't need any answer, if she would just respond to him as she did now.

And she was right.

She was right to chose none of the opportunities he offered her.

Because she didn't have to.

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><p>Draco's kiss was as passionate as Alanis always thought that it would be. She completely let herself go and enjoyed the pleasures he made her.<p>

Being that close was the only right thing to do.

Draco stopped kissing her, leaned back to look at her with an evil smirk and she put her hands on his shoulders to keep him close.

"Did I outgun Blaise with this?", Draco asked teasingly and smiled at her. But Alanis was almost not able to catch her breath to answer him.

"I want more...", she whispered and felt herself blush in embarassment.

"Now? In here?", Draco asked sarcastically, perfectly sarcastically.

"Everytime and everywhere!", Alanis said whimsically, took the initiative and kissed him another time. She felt him grabbing her so hard, that she would bruise another time. But she didn't care.

She wanted to be marked, as much as he was. She wanted to show where she wanted to belong. And actually that wasn't neither the dark nor the good side.

It was just him.

But finally she unwillingly pulled him away from her.

"We have to talk this through.", she panted and wasn't able to look away from his red swollen lips. His expression grew serious and all of the dark glow in his eyes disappeared. Draco nodded and took a deep breath, loosening his grip on her side.

"Shall we sit down?", he asked her, as they discovered a big armchair standing there which seemed to be right out of Hagrids furniture. It accommodated both of them, but Draco sat down first and Alanis had to put her legs on his lap. They enjoyed being that close.

"What did Dumbledore tell you to do? Does he know that I'm repairing the Vanishing Cabinet?", Draco asked and caressed her legs. Alanis nodded firmly, her heart still beating and tried to remain calm, as she felt her lips still pulsing with joy as she slowly realized what Draco and her just did.

"Dumbledore knows, indeed. I'm about to help you repairing it, that was the only way to calm Snape down as I eavesdropped on a discussion between them about you. Dumbledore considered me being able to gain your trust and therefore was able to prevent Snape from digging around in my head and extinguishing my memories."

Draco looked away, rubbing his mouth with his fingertips.

"Snape... I knew that he's a traitor to the Dark Lord. That's why I watched out that he won't be a meddler. But _you_ did play your part quite well , you already see that it worked out.", he said and she could hear in his voice that he still was unsure if he could really trust her. But she didn't resent him being sceptical, although she was hurt too, that he didn't believe her being honest with him, after she let him kissing her to shortage of breath.

"You think that Snape won't leave us alone, don't you? But we have to make him believe that we could handle the whole thing, that we can work together!", Alanis said, but Draco grimaced.

"I don't care about Snape! We ought to care a lot more about the Dark Lord! If he finds out that I wasn't still successful and additionally that you are now with me, he would be likely killing you to punish me or to make you one of his followers."

"He would just want to kill me, Draco, because I'm a Dumbledore. Far worse, he would surely order you to do it and add me on your list.", Alanis said and reached out to grab Dracos hand. But he pulled her closer, that her head rested on his chest.

"I won't let him hurt you. I won't let anybody do.", Draco said and stroke her hair.

This was the second time that Alanis wasn't able to answer. She thought of him being more withdrawn with his feelings than her, but it was her turn not being able to tell what she felt for him. Perhaps it was just because she didn't believe being near him, finally have him with her.

"How far did you get with the Vanishing Cabinet and how will it be useful for you assassinating Dumbledore? And I beg you not to try with some other things like the necklace or the poison."

"Never fear, as I got to know recently that I anyway am too weak and destined to fulfil my task, I will only continue with repairing the Cabinet. It will create a passage to Hogwarts, that some deatheaters might be able to invade the school. But as you said, there's a big difference between objects and animals. Honestly, I failed with everything I tried.", Draco said and Alanis could feel his despair. Dumbledore was obviously right with all his suggestions about Draco's mission. But there was still something which bothered her.

"You really minded of killing Dumbledore, did you? As far as you would be able to save your life, you would consider killing someone?", Alanis asked and looked in his face.

Draco's expression went sad, but after some short time he nodded.

"I'm a Slytherin, not a good Gryffindor, Alanis. I would do my best to save myself, not caring about anyone else. That's the dark side inside me, that's my nature."

_Would you save me?_

But Alanis didn't dare to ask.

"So when will we meet to work on the Cabinet?", Alanis asked and raised her voice to cover her discomfort.

"I will send you a message, in the same way I did to Madame Rosmerta,", Draco answered, and Alanis looked at him horrified and inquiring in such a way that Draco smirked and continued, "I cursed her with the Imperius-curse and she did everything for me, with the necklace and the poison, but it was necessary. How should I pass Filch otherwise?"

Alanis just said nothing. At that point it was true, it was almost impossible to get things inside the school without Filch poking around. Additionally the aurors patrolled in every corridor and even had closed some areas of the castle, like Myrtles toilet.

Draco smiled at her and laughed silently.

"You'll have to get used to my dark side. Beside the fascination it causes, it signifies me, Alanis. And believe me, the good inside you causes me discomfort as well."

As true as his words were, she anyway felt comfortable and save in his arms, like she waited being for weeks. And therefore she would bear the dark inside him. But as much as she wanted him to have her, she had to be careful that his darkness didn't absorb the light she carried in her heart.

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	21. Chapter 21

**Hey guys! Just thank you for the great reviews! I'm glad you liked it... This chapter will just prepare everything for the following plot. I hope you will like it, as it might be not very special, compared to the old ones. Nevertheless, please keep reviewing and tell me what you think! I can really only improve if you tell me your honest opinion! Don't hesitate, ok?**

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><p>"Where have you been last night?", asked Hermione with a low voice and glanced suspiciously at Alanis as she took a bite of her toast. Alanis just shrugged and pretended to gnaw on her toast intensively. She additionally tried to keep herself from staring at the Slytherin table, but as far as Alanis guessed, Draco had skipped breakfast another time.<p>

"Your bag felt very lonely in the common room, you know.", Hermione continued and leaned over the table, as she always did when she wanted to teach somebody a lesson. "So why won't you tell me where you did go? And don't tell me that my worst supposition is true!"

Alanis sighed.

"This is just between Draco and me and nothing of your business! We'll better leave it at that."

"You already call him Draco? Did you really go that far? How can you get involved with that evil git?", Hermione ranted and her voice skirled.

"Be quiet, Hermione, please!", Alanis hissed nervously and looked around if somebody heard them. "I just don't want to talk about it, ok?"

Hermione was so angry that her face blushed and her fuzz got untamed as she forgot to hold up the spell with which she tried to tame her hair.

"Fine. But I can't believe that Dumbledore approves all of that!", she said.

But Alanis was happy that they were interrupted as the owls arrived to deliver the post. The same black school owl as in the last night brought Alanis a little package which was wrapped in brown paper.

"What's up?", asked Harry as he and Ron joined them at the Gryffindor table.

"Oh, Alanis just told me how much she enjoyed the last evening.", Hermione said, but didn't look up from the Daily Prophet.

Both of the boys looked strangely curious and Alanis asked herself if Hermione made any suggestions in front of Harry and Ron about her and Draco. But if she did, Harry would barely even look at her, so everything seemed to be fine, except of Hermione's enragement.

But obviously Harry and Ron thought that Hermione's spleen had something to do with Lavender Brown, who was still upset about Ron and Hermione and shot killing glances at them.

Alanis quickly unpacked something which turned out as a common galleon. What did this mean? Did Draco want to tease her?

_Just for urgencies._

That was the only note that the little package contended. She quickly let the galleon slip into her pocket, but Hermione didn't look at her anyway and Harry and Ron talked about the strategies for their last Quidditch match.

"Katie!", Harry's voice was surprised and excited as well, as Katie Bell entered the Great Hall. So now she was back. Harry quickly ran to Katie and Alanis could see that he talked to her with excitement.

Alanis watched them with a bad feeling raising up in her stomach.

How would Draco react if he saw Katie Bell?

Katie shook her head several times, but Harry didn't seem to let her go. Alanis knew that he would be persistent and try everything to find out who cursed her.

But then Draco entered the Hall and Alanis saw Katie's gaze falling on him. Everyone could be able to read in her face that she was stunned and frozen, as she looked at him. Draco looked baffled as well and quickly turned around to leave immediately.

_This is bad_, Alanis thought.

But then she saw Harry following Draco.

_This is worse._

"Oh no, no, no!", Alanis murmured as fear grew up inside her. Hermione just breathed in heavily to ask her out, but Alanis jumped off her seat and ran after them.

Harry would face Draco certainly and Alanis knew what that would mean. As far as Alanis knew there relation, such a coincidence would only lead to something really bad.

There was only one thing she could do now.

Alanis was short of breath as she finally reached third floor. She furiously knocked on the door of Snape's office. She had to remain calm, but fear filled her entirely.

"What do you want?", Snape spat as he opened the door and looked and her.

But Alanis wasn't able to speak. He let her fear and the scene of Harry following Draco run through her thoughts. Snape must have read it in her mind, which she now offered him willingly to enter, or in her expression, as he quickly pushed her out of his way and headed to the staircase.

Alanis trembled as she followed him, but Snape suddenly turned around.

"Let Potter not see you, especially caring for Mr Malfoy."

Alanis knew what Snape wanted to say with that, nodded stiffly and headed back to the Great Hall, but was hardly able to let Snape go for Draco and Harry alone.

She hoped that Harry and Draco wouldn't carry out the duel that they had been longing for years. If they did, she knew they would fight to extremes.

Alanis paced up and down the common room, clutching Draco's galleon and was desperate to know what had happened. Hermione looked very worried at her, as if she knew how Alanis suffered, not knowing what was going on and if Harry and Draco were unharmed.

"Alanis?"

Alanis turned around eagerly and almost spat at Hermione fretfully.

"Please sit down."

Alanis let herself drop into the chair right next to Hermione and sighed.

"Do you think that Dumbledore will be satisfied that Harry had now managed to get that memory from Slughorn?", Hermione asked.

At least Harry was successful with his task that Dumbledore gave him. Alanis could just hope being able to help Draco fixing the cabinet.

Ron yawned bored and Hermione flinched, a very severe expression on her face let her look like Mrs Weasley.

"Just shut your mouth, Ronald, we all don't really want to see what your breakfast had been!", she said disgustedly and Alanis sighed, a little smile running over her face.

Harry finally entered the common room, seemed to be very exhausted and angry as well, and Alanis was immediately was cut off her thoughts.

"Harry, what happened?"

It didn't last very long, as Harry told Ron, Hermione and Alanis that Draco and him duelled in Myrtle's toilet and Draco was wounded heavily. But Harry seemed to be more resent having to absolve detention at Snape's, than regretting having cast a dark spell out of that bloody Halfbood-prince Potion's book which slit Draco's chest half open.

"Why did you use a spell you didn't even know? Couldn't you imagine that it is some kind of really dark magic?", Hermione said and seemed to be as angry as her. But Alanis was much more worried about Draco, even if she knew that Snape cared for him and Draco would hopefully accept him doing this time.

It was almost that the shock let her remain mute and she wasn't able to catch her words to shout at Harry. But even shouting at him wouldn't satisfied her to avenge Draco.

"He was about to cast the _Cruciatus_ on me, Hermione! I just reacted instinctively and you can believe me that I'm not proud of having used that spell!", Harry protested.

"You could have almost killed him!", Hermione repeated, but Alanis put her hand on her arm to calm her down. At that moment the galleon in her fist grew very hot and Alanis looked at it. Little letters appeared on it and formed some words.

_Join me?_

"How did you get one of them?", Hermione asked and almost picked it right away but Alanis closed her fist around it. "The DA used them last year to send short messages around.", Hermione continued, but Alanis didn't answer.

She just looked at Harry, who still seemed to suffer from the things that happened. She wanted to judge him having injured Draco, but she really didn't have the nerve to do it. Draco was actually more important.

Then her gaze changed to Hermione, as Alanis tried just to make her understand with her expression from whom the galleon was. But Hermione did anyway know, also how desperate and shocked Alanis must have felt, even if she wouldn't still understand her feelings for Draco.

But Alanis was sure, that nevertheless Hermione didn't want Alanis to be worried and sad, even and especially if Draco was connected with it. That's why she would never let her down.

"I have to leave.", Alanis said, but her voice was broken and very low. Hermione just nodded and smiled sadly. Alanis squeezed her arm thankfully and left, without looking back at Harry. She just couldn't, as she recognized that she was likely to hex his balls off for what he had done.

But she hurried to the hospital wing and just saw Blaise and Pansy Parkinson leaving. As Blaise saw her, he quickly pulled Pansy's arm, that he could lead her to another direction to keep her away from observing Alanis entering the hospital wing. She thankfully smiled to him and he nodded back at her. However, also if Blaise was a Slytherin, he was a very loyal one and he just conferred his loyalty for Draco onto her and she highly appreciated him for that.

She took a look around, but there weren't much students in the hospital wing, most of them hidden behind big curtains which covered every single bed to establish some privacy. But then she reached Draco's bed.

He was sitting on it, because Madam Pomfrey was changing his bandages. His upper part was naked and some ugly cicatrices crossed his chest. But Draco's face seemed to be unharmed of all that horrible wounds and his expression brightened as he clapped his eyes on her.

Alanis just wanted to step behind, not disturb him, but she was totally caught by his gaze. She even couldn't look away from his body, his muscles and the pale skin. She felt herself blush, how could she think of him being attractive at that moment?

There were not just that marks that Harry's curse had caused. There were older ones too. Marks, that were reminiscent of things even worse than that and Alanis was just not able to stand to think of how Draco was hurt so badly. She was never really able to imagine what it meant to serve the Dark Lord.

She didn't really know what Draco had really to suffer from.

She felt ashamed of her naivety.

Draco just looked as if he wanted to shoo Madam Pomfrey away, or at least to fasten this procedure. After Draco had swallowed some diptam essence, Madam Pomfrey turned around, looked at Alanis and wasn't able to hide her astonishment.

"Just ten minutes, he needs to rest.", she finally said and walked away to treat some other students.

Draco quickly stretched out his arm, but Alanis closed the curtains first and then finally walked to his bed.

"I'm glad you came. You can't believe how annoying Pansy could be and you can't imagine Blaise's silly plans of revenge! But cutting Potter's broomstick into pieces and burning them sounds really good to me.", Draco said and smiled.

But then she couldn't hold it in and she had to fight back her tears.

"I should have told you, but I forgot to tell you that Katie will be back! I knew that you wouldn't easily face her. And I shouldn't have come for Snape at first, I should have followed you both as I saw Harry and you leaving the Great Hall! It's my fault, I could have prevented it!", she cried, but Draco's smile just grew bigger and bigger.

"It was about time that Potter and I had to fight. We both always wanted it, and believe me, although Potter knocked me down, I won, definitely. Furthermore I love to see you concerned about me.", he said and smirked, caressed her cheeks gently with the back of his hand.

"But you could have died if Snape didn't save you!", Alanis hissed, but Draco shook his head.

"I didn't die because of you telling Snape what was going on. I obviously owe _you_.", he said and Alanis tried hard to stop sobbing.

"I'll remember you when the time is right to do it.", she answered, calming down, and leaned forward to give him a short kiss on his forehead. But he quickly grabbed her and held her in position, kissing her mouth intensively.

Alanis freed herself whispered embarrassed:

"I didn't say everywhere and anytime, did I?"

Draco just laughed, but ended up in a coughing fit, which was accompanied by some painful moans. Alanis just looked at him worriedly.

"How long will you have to stay in here?", she asked and carefully patted his back, carefully not touching his wounds.

"Some days, but I hope it won't be too long, I have to continue...", he answered and this time she could see desperation in his eyes.

So did Harry tell the truth and did really catch Draco crying in Myrtle's toilet? Was he really that petrified of failing and being killed by Voldemort? Was he really that desperate although she had promised to help him?

She felt ashamed as she never ever seemed to be able to understand entirely what Draco was really threatened of.

"Don't worry, Draco. You can count on me and I won't ever let you down. In every sense."

Draco suddenly knitted his eyebrows and looked away from her.

"Are you really honest with me, Alanis? You really want to help me?", he asked her and grabbed his linen sheet. Alanis knew that there was still another question in his mind, but that, she knew, was still unpronounceable, although their passionate and candid kiss spoke volumes.

But their conversation was cut off as Madam Pomfrey pulled back the curtains and ordered Alanis to leave.

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	22. Chapter 22

**Hey guys! Here's the next chapter and honestly, I love it. I hope you'll like it too and please tell me what you think about it! Please don't stop reviewing, it makes me really sad, because I need your feedback to make the story as best as I can!**

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><p>Alanis let her hand run up and down the black wood of the Cabinet, slightly touched the silver ornaments and inhaled the strong scent of that old magic that was locked deep within it. It smelled even more fantastic than the old books in the library and new parchment.<p>

In fact, she quickly realized how powerful that Cabinet was, but at the moment she touched it, she almost felt as if she could hear the Cabinet lamenting.

She closed her eyes and swallowed to calm down her whirling emotions. This cabinet was a dark object and it let so many memories grow up inside Alanis.

She felt so close to her parents as she took some steps back to scrutinize the Cabinet more carefully. The ancient wood creaked eerily as if it had to bear an enormous weight, but she knew that it was just responding to her, discerning her presence.

All of that did mean that Draco already managed to revitalize it. So Draco wasn't that unsuccessful as he pretended and thought to be.

But she quickly realized how heavily damaged that Cabinet must have been, before Draco started to repair it. And until the Cabinet would not retain its essence of life, being able to release its power, it would not be able to create passageways for animate beings, neither humans nor animals.

A Cabinet was definitely comparable with a tree, as well with its structure and its existence as well. The Cabinet itself allegorized the trunk and it almost stretched its branches to the place where it's twin was, like a tree would reach out for the infinite distance of the sky. Its power was similar to the magic a wizard performed if he apparated, but a Cabinet didn't take much effort to travel from a place to another, if it really was used to travel. It was a great hiding place as well, but Alanis had to focus on its ability to proceed a passage between Hogwarts and its twin at Borgin and Burkes.

Alanis opened the wooden doors of the Cabinet, just to take a look inside, but its inside was quite unspectacular and assimilated to a common wardrobe. But it was inside where she had to do her work. She sighed heavily and pulled out her wand.

She knew she actually betrayed herself, her own loyalty, her own promise.

At Slughorn's Christmas party she'd sworn to never raise her singing voice again and she would try to hold on to that vow. But if she now wanted to fulfil the task that she was ordered by Dumbledore just as her own wish to help Draco, she had to make exceptions.

The real secret of giving life to something was sacrificing a part of your own life-force and that wasn't just possible with simple enchantments and those silly spells that were used in the charms lessons. That was more complex and close to rituals.

She was just happy that she already succeeded very well with using nonverbal spells. Therefore it would just be enough to hum under her breath while using some charms to make that Cabinet complete again. As a side effect, this Cabinet would contain something of her. What that was, did Alanis not know herself, but anyway, that Cabinet would be linked to her. That meant that she would be the only one that was able to use it entirely or destroy it.

Perhaps it was just a little, but even that little comparable to that Horcruxes that Harry told her of. However, creating a Horcrux was just horrible to think of, as Voldemort created seven of those, but it was nevertheless comparable with the enchantment Alanis was about to use.

For god's sake, she didn't have to kill someone, but she had to split a part of herself and give it to the Cabinet.

All of that was really dark, powerful and dangerous magic, that she never ever would have dared to use. But Albus trusted in her and had given her few instructions to use that enchantment properly, without risking to confer too much of herself to it.

Alanis sighed heavily.

What was she doing that for? For the sake of the commonalty as Dumbledore did? For Draco?

Perhaps, but the whole thing already went that far... Draco seemed to have found the right term. She was a puppet, as much as Draco was and they both didn't even know to whom they really belonged. It almost seemed that the two of them did neither belong to the bad, nor to the good side. As if they just were acting in order to save their lives and also their life they would probably like to spend together.

Perhaps they were just similar to Severus Snape.

But what did that potions master fight for? If he really was that selfish to fight just for himself, he wouldn't make that effort, wouldn't he? Then it would be enough just to join the majority and hide if there was any danger.

Why didn't he choose the bad side? Or did he even choose?

Alanis was not sure if asking herself where to belong was important anymore. There just seemed to be two men, Voldemort and Dumbledore, that ruled everything and everyone, just as they were pleased to do, until one of them finally succumbed the other.

But Alanis asked that particular question herself so often, since she got to know Draco Malfoy.

Wasn't it just enough being in the middle of the good and evil ones?

Was the bad side really that bad? Voldemort was evil and cruel for sure, but were all his intentions to create an intimate and more strictly organized group of wizards that bad? Although there should really be no separation between purebloods and halfbloods, there could certainly be a useful side of especially his plans to create more discipline, which would perhaps improve the relations between the Hogwarts school and the Ministry. In general, the idea to create structure was not that bad, but it was the way how Voldemort wanted to realize the worse version of it. Violence was no way to peace.

But what about the good ones? Sure, they were good and that always seemed to be enough, but there was nothing more than their pure hearts. However, what if they remained there inside their secret walls, in their beautiful world, were naive and characterless, didn't see what was going on outside?

Alanis knew that her heart was entirely on the good side, but being together with Draco Malfoy just had opened her eyes that there was always sense in good and bad things. No one could stop learning from them, no one should live blindly with a tunnel vision and ignore the daily life.

And as much as Voldemort's actions were horrible, and as much as Alanis had to suffer from them herself and saw Draco and others still being hurt, she knew that all of this had sense.

And even if this war between the Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort was horrible and would surely require lots of sacrifices, it would teach people to cherish a peaceful life and make them understand how important it was to preserve it.

* * *

><p>Draco rolled from one side of his hospital-bed to the other, sweat covering his whole body, as his wounds finally healed. But it wasn't just the pain of the healing process that prevented him from sleeping.<p>

Alanis was persistently on his mind and he wondered if she was at the Room of Requirement and examining the Cabinet. Would she really be able to finish that work that he wasn't able to do? He was quite skilled himself, but he knew as well how gifted Alanis was, just to mention her adorable Transfiguration skills.

If she really managed to do this job for him, there was just his ultimate task left. And that should anyway not be his, as Snape and Dumbledore had already planned.

How could he ever reward Alanis? She took that immense burden off his shoulders and even better, she seemed to be willingly to be with him.

His whole body tensed, and he groaned at the waves of pain blurred his thoughts and let his limbs tremble, but he felt excitement too.

Very well, Alanis and him had been kissing, even mentioning that they felt more for each other than for simple love affairs, but nothing more and nothing less. A kiss could be far away from being connected to real feelings, it could just be based on passion and sudden desire.

But how about that kiss between Draco and Alanis?

It was definitely something that they both were longing for a long time, but was it therefore also connected to that feelings that proved them to be in love? Why would Draco then otherwise kiss her?

Referring to Draco's countless dates, Alanis could as well be one of his little girls. She could as well just play with his feelings, as he was used to do with other people before he met her.

Draco knew that he would have never let himself get involved with her if she really prevented him from fulfilling his mission and endanger him. But he nevertheless did and all of that came true.

She was a Dumbledore and a foe to him and the reason why he made a fool of himself the past weeks. However, being now stuck with her utterly was the best thing that ever happened to him and apparently she wouldn't be a danger to his mission, but even an ally to him.

Would they ever admit to themselves that they wanted more, much more than a little pleasant kiss, even more than where passion could lead to?

They both indeed urged to feel every inch of each other, but their mental relation was as well important as their physical. For that reason he refused to treat her as if he would have treated any other girl.

Draco sighed. He never ever wanted a girl so much than Alanis. He never thought being possible that a girl could affect him so much, captivate him, make him restless, sleepless, aching for even a glimpse of her to gain salvation.

Did Alanis already have such a power over him?

Should he really let it go through?

Should he allow himself being happy again?

Draco smiled and buried his face into his pillow, silently moaning with joy.

Bloody hell, whatever allowed him to feel that marvellous and stirred, he hoped it would be well-disposed to him a hell of long time.

* * *

><p>Alanis was just exhausted from her work. She didn't even have the strength to test if her efforts worked out. She surrendered to her tiredness, closed the Cabinet's doors, smiled slightly and grabbed her bag.<p>

She was terribly tired. That's how Draco must have felt, just weak.

Alanis rubbed her stomach, as she missed dinner because of her intense work, there would hopefully be some cauldron cakes left, that Aberforth had sent her with his nice letter of apology. He just admitted her how glad he was that she still was alive and lived with him. Alanis was so happy about Aberforth finally warming himself up for her, even if she nevertheless wished he would have told her that personally.

"Oh, Merlin's be- I mean, what are you doing here Harry?"

She just found Harry sitting on the floor in front of the Room of Requirement, tightly holding the Marauder's map in the one, his invisibility cloak in the other hand. What the hell was Harry doing here? He'd just scared her to death. But that was the less tragic thing of that situation. Harry knew that she'd been in the Room of Requirement.

"Alanis? What were you doing in there?"

"Answer me first." Harry cocked his eyebrows at her harsh tone. But she know felt how hate raised inside her heart, how much she finally felt the urgency wanting to curse that boy in front of her because of having hurt Draco so much.

"I wanted to hide that _Advanced potions_ book. Then I wasn't able to enter the Room of Requirement, but I decided to wait, just to be sure that it wasn't Malfoy inside. I want to find out in which form the Room changed for him."

Alanis clenched her fists eagerly.

"It can't be Malfoy, you thickhead! He lies in the hospital wing, suffering from that deep cuts that your awful curse slit in his body!"

Harry struggled to get to his feet and readjusted his glasses to peer at her without, not understanding of her being that outraged.

"Wow, Alanis, why are you that upset? I do regret what I've done-"

"But did you ever consider to apologize?"

Harry looked baffled at her as if he didn't recognize her.

"How would I ever apologize to that dumbass?"

Alanis just stared at Harry being that rude. He never ever heard him talking that vulgar, but at that moment Alanis realized how similar Draco and Harry had been. They were both stubborn, loyal to what they believed in and stood for it until the end. Perhaps they could have really been friends, or maybe could be in future when all that war was over.

"It's just horrible what you've done! And everything you can think of is what Malfoy might be concocting and doing in that Room of Requirement?", Alanis asked, finally trying to calm down, that Harry wouldn't realize how much she really cared for his archfiend.

Harry nodded stiffly, folded his cloak and plugged it under his sweater.

"I know, Alanis. But what did you do in there?"

"I just did the same as you, I went to go to that place where Malfoy was.", Alanis sighed, at least that was the true part of her answer, "But I don't know what he might have wanted in the room of hidden things."

"The room of hidden things?"

"Are you deaf or something?", Alanis asked angrily.

Harry suddenly looked really worried and sad.

"What's really up with you?"

_Besides I want to smash your glasses to earth and jump on it and laugh about you then tottering around like a blind man, stretching out your arms like a mummy? Besides I want to rip your heart out of your chest and roast it? Besides I'd like you to feel exactly how I did when I heard you hurting my beloved? Nothing, dear Harry!_

She suddenly hesitated. Did she just admit to herself falling entirely for Draco Malfoy?

Well, it had just been a question of time and her urgency to avenge him proved it right.

She just angrily rushed past Harry.

"Just hide that bloody book and leave me alone. I'm not in the mood to talk to you anymore."

"Alanis?"

Alanis hesitated and loosened her grip around her wand, to prevent herself from hexing him with the most powerful _Conjunctivitis curse_ that she knew.

"What?"

"Just remember that we are friends."

Alanis let her shoulders drop sadly and moved on, ignoring Harry being thoroughly confused about her sudden rejection.

"Yes of course.", she said, but mumbled to herself, "But it's sad to say."

**PLEASE KEEP REVIEWING! I BEG YOU!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Hey everyone! Sorry for my late update today, but I'd been really busy with the new furniture we bought for my new appartment. I will soon be resettling and that's why I'm so stressed. But I try hard to keep up the daily update! **

**Please keep telling me what you think about the story, the plot, the characters! I'd love to read your comments, and however bad they might be, I'd love to learn from them for the following chapters!**

**PLEASE ENJOY AND REVIEW!**

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><p>"Oh Draco, I thought that we could possibly celebrate you coming back to us!", Pansy said and happily clung her arms around his waist, but Draco pushed her away. He knew definitely how Pansy would define 'celebrating' and he was not interested in it.<p>

"How should we celebrate Potter beating me down?", he said annoyed, not really happy that the first girl he saw when he left the hospital wing was bloody Pansy.

"I missed you so much, my dragon.", she chuckled but Draco quickly sat down at the Slytherin table, helped himself to some sausages and eggs for breakfast and began to eat with relish. He'd never been that hungry the last time. Perhaps it was just the exhaustion that was trapped deep in his bones.

"Welcome back, mate.", Blaise said and a big daft smile disfigured his handsome face.

"Would you just stop treating me like I'd been dead? Just shut up and let me eat my breakfast.", Draco said angrily and grabbed the salt shaker.

But then he suddenly felt something grew warm in his pocket. He immediately knew what it was and before he took out the galleon, he glanced at the Gryffindor table.

Alanis sat there, with that mudblood Granger, but some places away from Potthead and the Weasels. She didn't look into his direction but seemed to be in a deep conversation with Granger.

It was such a good feeling that he was now able to keep Alanis in his mind without having to remind himself to stop it.

_Come to the RoR._

_You've fixed it?_

_Perhaps._

"I know well what you could do after your breakfast, Draco.", Pansy said, but in vain as Draco hastily cleaned his plate and didn't pay her attention.

"I have to go."

"But where to?", Pansy asked disappointedly, but Blaise came to Draco's aid.

"You can't any longer keep him away from his duties, Pansy. And even your thirst must be appeased sometimes, right?", he said and grinned as Pansy stood up with arms akimbo.

Draco left them behind as they started to quarrel and headed to the seventh floor.

He'd never ever thought of himself jumping up at a girl's call!

Then he saw Alanis walking slowly around the corner and her expression brightened as she saw him, but he could see tension in her eyes. As they both entered the Room of Requirement, Alanis grabbed Draco's hand and forced him to quicken his pace.

"What's up?", he asked, starting to get nervous at her wordlessness.

Alanis didn't answer and as they reached the Cabinet, she pulled her wand out and murmured some spells as she stepped closer. A loud cracking noise of the Cabinet echoed through the whole room and Alanis swore loudly.

Draco touched her shoulder and she suddenly winced as if he broke in on her being in deep concentration.

"Do you like to trouble me?", he asked her, looked deep in her blue eyes and she glanced at him as if she'd just reckoned him being next to her. She pulled back some loose strands of her hair and pursed her lips. Then she began to pace up and down, speaking more to herself than to him.

"I did everything that Albus told me to, I even used that Anti-Jinx Varnish... It now earns new life essence, but there seems to be a blockade within it... Perhaps because of you doing the first reparations..."

"Alanis?", Draco felt unsure. Why the bloody hell did he feel as if he had been for months in that hospital wing and time rushed by, while he missed everything important?

"But it answers me... I can feel that it's strength urges to be released, as if it longs for its twin... There must be an ultimate action left... We should really try-"

"Alanis Dumbledore! Look at me!", Draco shouted angrily and Alanis stared back at him in shock, raised her hands and rubbed her temples, as if something hit her head.

"...it out.", she concluded quietly, suddenly blushing.

"Hello to you, little Dumbledore.", Draco said and gradually realized what bothered her. She was now as much integrated to the mission of repairing the Cabinet and affected by it. She felt the same exhaustion and desperation that he suffered from for months. But now they could share that pressure.

"Hello Draco."

He could see her shifting uncomfortably from one leg to the other, but something prevented him from grabbing and embracing her tightly. Something made him uneasy about her. She was just as moody and restless as he'd been, the dark magic which was connected to that Cabinet took her up entirely.

And now he understood Blaise's sudden aversion to him. Draco must have been insufferably nerve-racking.

"How about the Cabinet?"

Alanis sighed heavily and Draco saw her still being in deep thoughts.

"We have to try it out to see if my effort was of use."

Draco nodded and pulled his wand out too, as she waved hers.

"_Avis_."

A little white feathered bird just appeared right out of the tip of her wand, chirping happily. Draco picked the poor little bird, opened the Cabinet and put it inside. It tweeted pitiably and Draco was glad that the wooden walls muffled the noise.

"It's your turn.", Alanis said nervously and weak, like she had been a complete nerve-wreck. Was that mission really affecting her that much?

"_Harmiona Nectere Passus_."

Draco felt his hair standing on the end and a cold shiver ran down his spine as he felt as if the Cabinet answered to him. It was as if it took a deep breath, inhaled all the life essence of the little creature within it. Very soon, everything was silent.

They now had just to wait if the bird returned and wasn't lost somewhere inside.

With shaking hands he reopened the Cabinet and took a look inside. The bird was gone.

After closing the Cabinet again, he took some steps back and noticed Alanis turning her back to him as if she didn't bear to know if the Cabinet worked out.

While he whispered the spell another time, he reached out to take her hand and squeezed it, but even then she didn't look at him.

Draco rubbed the back of Alanis' hand with his thumb, but that was even not able to cope the strangeness that suddenly emerged between them. Had Draco been right?

And everything that created a bond between them was just connected to a simple affection?

Had they just been being infatuated and now, after they'd kissed and did not feel a lot of that exciting tension anymore, faced the reality? Was nothing there between them?

As if Alanis felt the doubts that whirled around his mind, she turned her head and looked directly at him. He suddenly got completely lost in her deep blue eyes.

There they still were. His feelings for her were still so strong, stronger than he'd now supposed. He knew he had been falling for her and he would do it again and again.

He would not ever stop to being attracted to her.

* * *

><p>Alanis frowned as she reckoned Draco's expression brighten up and even darken.<p>

But she was too concerned about that bloody Cabinet, that she didn't mind to interpret his sudden intense gaze. How long had they already been waiting for that bird returning?

She unglued herself from Draco, let her hand run agitatedly through her hair and repeated Draco's spell eagerly.

But nothing happened.

The bird was lost.

She angrily kicked the Cabinet and it seemed to moan apologetically as if it wanted to make sure it wasn't its fault that it wasn't working.

She fought back her tears of anger and stomped around, likely to throw all of that broken furniture across the room, just as Peeves would have done it. She didn't even dare to look at Draco, who must have been more disappointed than her.

How should they fix the Cabinet? If Alanis and Draco wouldn't manage to repair it, he would hardly satisfy the Dark Lord. Alanis knew what it would mean to disappoint him once more. She'd anyway seen those terrifying marks on Draco's body.

"Just try it again, Alanis.", Draco said, his voice suddenly so calm.

Didn't he realize that everything they tried was useless?

She felt so forlorn and she felt that Draco had absented himself from her. He must have felt how much it had taken of her to give herself to that bloody Cabinet, to perform that dark magic.

Suddenly everything broke through and she couldn't help herself but started crying, her body shook of convulsive sobbing and she flinched as Draco tried to put a hand on her shoulder.

But his movement didn't felt honest and she just didn't bear his touch.

"We'll find another way, Alanis."

"No, there's no-!"

Alanis held her breath.

How stupid she was! How bloody fucking dopy she had been! There was another way, right before her eyes and she had succeeded amazingly to overlook it!

"There _is_ another way, Draco! Do you remember me wanting to get into the Room of Requirement at Christmas? I had to, because there's a secret path from this room right to Hogsmeade. That is the solution! We wouldn't have to grapple with that bloody Cabinet anymore.", she said with sudden excitement and her husky voice came thick and fast.

Draco looked at her in amazement.

Alanis did know exactly what he was thinking: Why did she keep that away from him as it was the biggest help that she could have ever offered to him, even better than fixing the Cabinet? Did she not consider him being trustworthy?

"Why didn't you tell me about that earlier?", he asked her agitatedly.

"Because I forgot to, Draco! I really was that obsessed with you and your mission that I just forgot it!"

"You dare to blame _me_?", he said angrily.

Alanis shook her head, but she'd already managed to upset him entirely.

"I do not, Draco, how would I? But believe me that I'm sorry, I really forgot it."

"You just forgot? How can you ever, Dumbledore, forget something?"

"I can as much do it as you once forgot me."

Draco stumbled back and grew pale. Alanis panted heavily. She knew it was just such a worse idea to start to quarrel that way, even judging his feelings for her, but she was angry and hurt too.

"That has nothing got to do with your lack of foresight! I begged you to be honest."

Alanis felt her tears drying on her cheeks, but new ones already filled her eyes.

"I was always honest with you!", she whispered and looked to the ground, while Draco seemed not to be able to keep calm anymore.

"Why would Voldemort believe me that such a tunnel exists? He would be asking me as well why it took me that long to discover it."

"Just tell the truth, that I told you about it."

Draco tore his hair, glared at her wrathfully and she had to back away. He seemed to be even more agitated than he had been at the Astronomy tower. And she knew what it would mean if he really did not manage to keep his temper.

"You would be the first the Dark Lord would kill, because you know about it."

"Then he would have to kill my grandfather too."

"Why that?"

"Because this tunnel leads directly into the Hog's Head."

Draco just stared her unbelieving and she bowed her head once more.

"Are you mad? Did you actually realize how you threatened him with telling me of that passage?", he cried. "I can't believe that you even didn't mind to put your family at the risk."

Alanis dropped her shoulders. Draco was right. She just told Draco of that passage and gave him new hope, but didn't deliberate if it really was a considerable solution.

"But I guess that Aberforth would help us.", she said quietly, but she knew that even that was not true. Aberforth might have changed his attitude towards her, but he still didn't want to get involved to any things that were linked to Albus, and Alanis' mission to help Draco definitely was. Even if she just did it for Draco, Aberforth would not let her persuade him.

"Do you know what would happen? Hogsmeade and the Hog's head would be overrun! We can't just involve a whole village to that. I can't. I might be on the dark side, but I don't want to threaten innocent people just to safe myself."

Alanis stood there open-mouthed. Did Draco really just say that he would sacrifice himself for others? Did he really change that much, that he negated being selfish and that he very well cared for other people?

"But if there's no other way, Draco? Maybe the deatheaters don't want to arrest attention and would enter Hogsmeade and the tunnel just clandestinely? They would as much want to take the tunnel as a secret!"

Draco suddenly laughed out, grabbed his collar and ripped his suit open, to reveal the bare skin of his upper body.

"That, Alanis, is the only thing they would ever care to keep as a secret. You don't know what it takes to be amongst them, to be with _him_.", he said viciously and stepped closer, while Alanis backed away, not able to look at his marked chest. "You have no idea."

That were just the same words that Snape said to her. It was true. She did not know what it meant to face the most powerful and evil mage of their time. She was not worthy to cry over her failure. She was of no use. She was just a little foolish lovey-dovey girl, just as Snape said.

She quickly stumbled to her feet and rushed past Draco, just to get away from him.

* * *

><p>Draco just stood there, watching Alanis running away from something she would never be able to escape from. He was so upset and sad too.<p>

But suddenly he heard a strange rasping sound of the Cabinet. And after that there was just the most beautiful and soothing sound he ever heard in his life.

"Alanis!"

He almost roughly opened the door of the Cabinet and the little bird seemed as much as Draco crying out happily, as he was finally able to escape the dark insides of the Cabinet.

His gaze followed the bird, as it flew across the room and then he saw Alanis hesitating and turning around to face the little bird, as it passed her, twittering happily.

A relieved smile covered her face, he saw her body weaken of joy and she had to lean against the statue of the first headmaster of Hogwarts to steady herself.

They have finally done it.

Alanis did it.

He quickened his pace to meet her, wrapped his hands tightly around her and squeezing her whole body, as if he wanted to make her part of him. Although his joy seemed to overflow him, he separated himself from her very quickly.

Even with this happiness about the Cabinet finally working, there was still something unexpressed between them that tore them apart.

He knew that now the most difficult part of his mission was over, and Alanis had just completed hers. She would be free from any duties now. She was free to choose her next steps. Free to chose where she wanted to belong.

And he wished so much that she still would be with her.

He would have given his life to make that come true.

**PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!**


	24. Chapter 24

**Hey guys! Here's just the next chapter! This time I'm really curious if you'll be able to suggest what's happening after that last scene in here. Just please tell me! I really try hard to make this story the best as I can and I need your support to be sure I'm doing the right thing!**

**All the best and PLEASE ENJOY AND REVIEW!**

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><p>Alanis and Draco spent the whole morning in the Room of Requirement, skipping their classes and letting that poor bird pass several times, just to be sure that everything worked out.<p>

The process got easier with every short travel and Draco could feel how he improved with performing the magic that the Cabinet needed to create secure and safe passageways.

Alanis was a great teacher and Draco had already noticed that the Cabinet obeyed her much more than him, which he justified with the intense reparations she had done on it. But it was just admirable to see her touching it, feeling it, as if she was connected to it.

It seemed that this particular Cabinet just became hers.

After some hours, Alanis finally took some steps back, her expression brightened and she smiled at him, which he just wasn't able to return. Why, the hell, did he still not feel comfortable with her, even if he knew what she meant to him?

"We finally have to try it out on ourselves, Draco. We have to know if the Cabinet is ready to transport humans.", Alanis said and Draco flinched as she drew nearer to him and he once more caught a gentle breeze of her hypnotizing scent.

"You want to try it out? That's too risky!"

Alanis just smiled warmly at him and reached out to open the door of the Cabinet, but Draco grabbed her arm to hold her back.

"I believe in my skills, Draco. I feel that it is ready. And it will work if you cast the spell properly as you did the last hours."

Although she fend against him, he managed to drag her some steps away.

"I won't let you go inside that thing, Alanis! There is a big difference between a little bird and a human being! Remember, that have been your words too!"

Alanis sighed and tried to free herself from his grip which he felt that would actually hurt her. But he therefore tightened it and felt how his nails scored her flesh.

"But would the Dark Lord be satisfied with birds? Wouldn't he want you to prove that it works?", she asked and bit her lip and she flinched as his grab around her wrist tightened even more.

He fought with himself, beads of perspiration covered his forehead. She would see the wheels in his mind rotate and he loosened the grip around her arm. He took some eager steps to the Cabinet, lifted his arm and let his hand run down the dark wood.

"He doesn't really care, Alanis. The Dark Lord doesn't believe me to success, he only wants Dumbledore dead, no matter if some deatheaters invade the school or not. I'm still out of time.", he mumbled and opened the door. Draco took one step into the Cabinet, but Alanis rushed forward.

"What are you doing?"

"I will be the one passing. I won't let you risk being locked up inside that bloody Cabinet, or even return dead.", he said and pushed her back, with a severe expression on his face. But then Alanis quickly pulled out her wand and pointed it at him.

"Don't take any step further, Malfoy."

He hesitated at the creepy sound of her voice and looked at her, cocking his eyebrows as he saw her pointing her wand at him. But he couldn't even glimpse before her face grew angry, as he noticed her being in that same mood as he had been at the Astronomy tower. For his taste, there was too much rage within her, too much rage between them.

"Put your wand away, Alanis. I won't argue, that's senseless. I will pass."

Alanis closed her eyes quickly and looked at him once again, as if she just cooled herself down. But as she spoke another time, her voice shook and sounded much heavier than before:

"You're wrong. This is my turn. I'm less worthy than you. If I'll be lost, you'll find a way to bring me back. If I am lost, the danger of you being uncovered by me would be extinguished."

His face grew pale as she took one step further and pressed the tip of her wand into his chest.

"I never expected you talking such nonsense, Dumbledore. You are the one who fixed the Cabinet. If I go, you would be the only able to bring me back, as the Cabinet responds to you and only you entirely. I would not be able to safe you in return.", he snapped and grabbed her wand, as her rage caused some red sparks spurting out of the tip of her wand and threatened to burn his clothes.

"And additionally you talk if you don't count, if losing you would be no loss for anybody!", he snapped, regretting that his own wish to be with her for all time resonated within it.

"But it is true, Draco! You are the one who will finish the task, you're the one who will prepare to fool Voldemort to make Snape assassinating Dumbledore and gaining his trust, you're the one who has already got to play his part! I've already done it. I helped you fixing the Cabinet and now I want to test it. It's not the choice of Dumbledore or even yours. It's mine."

Draco's mood changed with every word she said, until he swallowed heavily. She took the chance, pulled him off the Cabinet and stepped in. He wanted to protest, but she still pointed her wand at him.

He grunted. He didn't only jump at her call, he even let her making him surrendering to her. What would she then be able to do to him in the future? How would she continue changing him?

"Should I use the Imperius-curse on you or will you obey my wishes?", she said with more strength as he actually thought of her possessing. "And don't smirk like that, I am completely serious, Malfoy!"

Draco's face grew hard as he saw that she had to put all her strength into her looking brave and calm. He grabbed the doors of the Cabinet, just to make it unable for her shutting them.

"Draco, you don't even have to cast that spell. It would a better proof of your skill if you did, but I would do it as well! I will take the whole responsibility!", she said and her voice was calmer as she might have seen the worried look on his face.

"No. I will do that.", he said shortly. Draco pressed his lips together.

If he had to loose her, he wanted to take the burden entirely. He placed his hands on the doors and slowly shut them. But as he was not able to look at her.

* * *

><p>As soon as Alanis had stepped in, Draco's doubts caught her too.<p>

What if the Cabinet was still not working correctly? What if it really rather responded to her than to Draco?

She forced herself to smile at him, but she felt nothing but fear and uncertainty.

Then, a few inches before she was totally covered in darkness, he hesitated and let his glance move to the ground.

"I would never forgive myself if something happened to you."

She knew how hard it was for him to tell her that and she took some steps behind to hide in the darkness, just not to let him see how her body shuddered with fear. She just shook her head, because she wasn't able to collect any words to answer him. But she reached out, as Draco didn't seem to move forward and shut the doors by herself.

Now there was just darkness around her, she heard her breath come out in small pants, felt sweat running down her back. She clenched her fist around her wand.

The darkness seemed to put a veil on her, heavy and breathtaking and there was just silence. She felt her blood boil and a strange noise filled up her ears, but it was just the unbearable complete silence that was beyond all bearing.

Infinite Darkness.

It was just so deep, as if the black walls of the Cabinet radiated it and it seemed to creep over her, touching her with ice-cold fingertips, willingly to lodge itself deep inside her, deep inside her heart, and slowly drag her to hell.

Her legs got more and more wobbly and she felt herself more and more urgent to escape from that dark hole.

And then she just heard three muffled words through the wooden walls of the Cabinet.

_"Harmiona Nectere Passus."_

At first nothing did happen. But suddenly she felt as if something drained her life force out of her, as if she was separated from her body, leaving everything behind. She felt as if she entered a great emptiness that was about to swallow her up. Was she fading?

Her body she felt as if she was lifted like in one of that muggle-elevators and then squeezed, her stomach growled and she also felt weak and uncomfortable as if she was apparating.

She pressed her hand on her mouth to suppress the deep moan that came up her throat. Very soon everything went calm and Alanis felt quite normal once more, beside her heart racing as if she just ran a marathon. She held her breath and listened.

Was it just over? Was she still in Hogwarts? Even ad Borgin at Burkes? Or somewhere between it, lost in endlessness, locked up for all time?

She felt solid wooden ground under her feet, but she immediately reckoned that she had changed the places. She sniffed quietly.

The air was different and she even felt that the Cabinet was different too. That was not her Cabinet. It was its twin and she felt how foreign it was to her.

She stretched out her hand and tried to open the door of the Cabinet. To her surprise, it was not locked. Although it was just dim light that covered her face, it blinded her and she frowned.

She cautiously looked out of the Cabinet and a sudden bolt of excitement shot through all her veins as she reckoned that she really had been in Borgin and Burkes as she found the Cabinet surrounded by high storage racks, fully loaded with hazardous looking dark objects.

She quickly retired into the Cabinet, with a big and relieved smile on her face, to prevent herself from being uncovered by the shopkeeper, Mr Borgin, who just walked around the corner and walked right across the small showroom. He was just ugly, with his greasy and stringy grey hair and moth-eaten clothes that had definitely only been fashionable hundreds of years ago.

But Alanis didn't mind his disgusting appearance, if he would just not keep drawing nearer to the Cabinet.

"Just another little nice dickey inside there, hugh?", his voice rattled heavily and Alanis was able to see him smirking through that small crack that was still missing to shut the doors of the Cabinet .

She knew that Cabinet would not work until the doors were closed and now, there seemed no chance to escape from being discovered from that horrible shopkeeper.

"This time I won't let you get back, my little singing bird. This time old Borgin won't listen to your nerve-racking tweets again."

Alanis pressed herself against the Cabinet wall and pointed her wand out, but she wasn't able to think clearly. If Borgin would open the Cabinet's doors, she would have to curse him immediately.

_Focus, Alanis, as you already did it before._

"Old Borgin will just silence you, little one. There's nothing to fear."

_Call me back!_

_Please call me back!_

Alanis trembled and raised her wand, but her heart was in her mouth and she felt that she wasn't even able to breathe. Her mind was still blurred of travelling with the Cabinet and she knew she would hardly be able to cast at least a verbal spell.

_Merlin's most baggy Y fronts, call me back, Draco!_

But suddenly she felt as if she had to vomit, as the dim light swayed before her eyes and she felt that something pulled her away with force. Was she Cabinet actually working, although it wasn't shut entirely?

And as she felt herself finally being dragged away as if she was lifted into thin air, Borgin opened the Cabinet, crying out with joy that only an old miserable and batty man could have, but Alanis was already gone.

As she finally found herself back in her own Cabinet, she almost couldn't keep herself from fainting and she panted heavily. Merlin's beard, that was even more than close!

Then suddenly the two doors were opened roughly and strong arms pulled her into a tight embracement. Draco seemed to crush her bones as he pressed her against him and she felt him burying his face in her hair, breathing in her scent with heavy gasps.

"I'm ba-!"

But Draco cut her off.

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	25. Chapter 25

**Hey guys! **

**Thanks for the great reviews! Please keep up telling me what you think, it really improves my writing and please correct me too! I hope this chapter will make you as well excited as it made me when I wrote it. I really tried hard to express everything in the right way and put very much of myself into it.**

**Please tell me what you think and enjoy it!**

**Lots of love, Olivia**

* * *

><p>Before Alanis could say any other thing to him, Draco pressed his lips on hers and kissed her fiercely that it almost hurt. But very soon she managed to relax in his arms and he changed his kiss changed to a lovelier one. He caressed her lips with his tongue and grabbed her hips as if she was the only thing on earth he could hold on to.<p>

As the lack of air caused them to pause, she stroke his cheeks with her hands and leaned forward to kiss few tears away. Draco blushed under her touch, flinched back, embarrassed that he had been crying just because he was able to hold her in his arms again. But it was just the truth.

Draco had been on pins and needles as he had whispered the spell. There was nothing on his mind than Alanis. Every second waiting for her to come back safely and unharmed had been too much.

But Alanis seemed to be as relieved has he was and filled with happiness.

She still held her hands in position and forced him to hesitate and look at her.

Draco was heated up by this passionate kiss they'd shared and he stiffened with agitation, which now entirely gilded his fear for Alanis that he'd had. Finally he felt even able to show her how much she affected him, and wasn't even exasperated or embarrassed of it.

There was just one emotion inside him, which was the most dangerous, untenable and edacious frisson of excitement a man could ever have. It took him completely to the edge of his tempers.

He wanted this girl. Now.

"I'm back.", she whispered shyly once more, blushed deeply, leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on his smooth lips.

He couldn't help himself but smile under her touch and put one hand on her neck to hold her close, even closer as he continued kissing her and caused her to moan as he gently darted out his tongue to find his way through her lips.

Draco pulled her back until he pressed her against one of the bookshelves and he felt his hips rubbing against her belly, his breath quickened as he abandoned himself to the impulse to pin her hard against the wall. Bloody hell, he wanted to make her part of him and make himself part of her. He would have given her anything.

He lifted her chin to dart his tongue in her mouth with one quick thrust and she groaned.

Was he actually causing her to give herself to him?

Was she just letting it happen?

Draco kissed a way down her neck to her collarbone and suavely tasting her skin, which caused her to moan another time with deep lust. How long he had been waiting for that particular sounds escaping her lips, of him causing her to whimper and groan with pleasure!

He couldn't help himself but his fear for her made him just agitated and now and with her responding to him that way, he could not stop. He would never be able to stop touching her, gently revealing every inch of her smooth skin and trying to devour her entirely.

Finally she would be his.

* * *

><p>Alanis felt as if Dracos hands were everywhere on her, until he put his hand on her knee and slowly lifted her skirt.<p>

The shock of nearly being discovered in Borgin and Burkes was still present, but now, as Draco pinned her to the bookshelf, there was nothing in her mind than him. She'd always wanted him to be that close and she even welcomed him being that rough because she felt as if he know didn't want anything on the world but her.

She just let herself being caught by his passion, let it overflow her and let that wave take her gradually to the height of pleasure.

She was more than ready for what Draco would want to give her.

"Draco...", she hissed and let her head rest on his shoulder, not being able to stand upright any more, as he swiftly touched the inner parts of her tighs.

She just responded to him capturing his lips in hers and kissed him to give him as much that pleasure back as he just kissed her with before.

Then she just wasn't able to hold herself back and reached out for his pants. He quietly groaned as she began letting her hand run up and down his lap.

But suddenly he grabbed her hand and pushed it away from him, slowly backing away from her and his kisses lost their intensity.

His fierce grip loosened as she immediately felt that something cooled him down, did not even let him response to her seductive touch, and he just placed little kisses on her mouth and took his hands off her hips.

Then he reached out and slowly, very slowly stroke her hair, to finally pull back one of the lose strands, with a very worried and shocked expression on his face.

"Draco...?" But he didn't answer to her whisper, her breath still heavy and uneven.

Draco closed his eyes, leaned in and placed a very gentle kiss on Alanis lips.

There was no passion within it, no pressure, just deep emotions and mainly calmness.

Draco let his forehead rest on hers, they both took deep breaths to calm down and she felt his hands rubbing her back. Then he pulled her back on her shoulders, as if he finally wanted to distract himself from her.

And with that, Alanis knew that Draco wouldn't go on, that every tension that was just built up between them, had vanished.

As Draco stepped back, with a pitiful look of guilt on his face, Alanis looked deep in his eyes and she couldn't help herself and felt as rejected. She suddenly trembled at the loss of the warmth of his body, but it was not only a cold chill that made her suffer.

She felt disenchanted, although she knew that she would have no reason to. She felt more than rejected, not seen, not accepted, simply not loved and that led to her immediate sensual frustration.

"What makes you stop?", she asked with a broken voice and folded her hands down in her lap, as if she just wanted to shield herself from him.

Draco's whole body shook at her words, he clenched his fists and avoided her gaze as he took a deep breath.

"I just can't."

"You can't?", Alanis stared at him with disbelief. But she felt something shift inside her, as if the final verbal rejection hit her and tore her apart. She suddenly shivered and moaned as she felt sick.

Draco did not want her.

He wanted any other bloody girl in that castle and just broke off with her. He just did not take her. Did he not consider him worthy? What was it that prevented him from being close?

She felt so sad.

She never ever felt that empty and even in the true sense of word.

She never ever thought of being pretty or somewhat attractive. She'd always asked herself what exactly Draco Malfoy would like on her, especially on her. But whatever that was, it didn't seem enough to be with her. And she'd thought that he was serious with her, that he wanted her, that he wanted her entirely with neck and crop, more than any other girl! She even thought to feel that for the last few moments.

Bloody hell, he'd never kissed her like that before!

Did that really mean nothing?

"It does mean something, Alanis."

Alanis flinched back and pressed herself against the bookshelf.

"Don't you dare to read my mind!", she cried and pressed her hands on her temples and prostrated herself to the floor, as her legs shook and gave in.

Draco didn't want her but didn't hesitate to penetrate her mind!

"Alanis...", he said and kneeled down in front of her while Alanis curled herself up just to escape his sad gaze.

"You took every girl in that bloody castle!", she cried and clenched her fists, as he tried to take her hands in his.

"You took every single one but not me! Am I just not worthy enough?"

Draco grabbed her arms and pulled her closer and she struggled hard to free herself from him.

"_I_ am just not worthy to have you, Alanis. You deserve so much better than me.", he said and at that moment his voice broke.

Alanis swallowed down her tears and returned his gaze as he grabbed her chin and lifted it until he was able to look in her deep blue eyes.

"I want you, Alanis. You felt that I want you.", he said severely and put so much conviction and strength in his every word, that she had no other chance as listening to him. And then she blushed as she realized what Draco just had been saying. Indeed, she had felt that Draco was more than ready for her, as much as he must have felt the same of her.

"I just don't want to take you like that. I just don't want to force you or to make you to some of that other girls. You are not like them to me, Alanis. As I said, you deserve more than a male slut.", he said and took his hands off her as if just touching her would be a deadly sin.

Alanis just stared at him.

"But if I want you to have me, Draco?", she whispered, slowly realizing what Draco's words did mean. And he shook his head, with a faint smile covering his serious and tense expression.

"That's just wrong, Alanis. You should take me. Then it would be right."

Alanis just became speechless and leaned herself backwards on the shelf, weak and defeated.

Defeated because she'd never ever heard something like that before. She never ever thought that she would experience something like that so early in her life.

Draco did indeed want her and she now realized that.

But that was just the less important thing anymore.

Because of him not wanting her to take her as if making love did not mean anything, was just a thing to be physically gratified, she finally understood something.

Draco was more than serious with her, because he treated her in another way than any other girl, refused himself to her just not to hurt her, because she was special to him.

Draco just treated her as his beloved.

Alanis sighed.

That revelation was better than any pleasure she could have experienced with him.

She stretched out her hand and let her fingertips touch his lips, his nose, his eyelids. He just held his breath and tensed. He really felt uncomfortable when she touched him!

"Did I just disappoint you?", he said quietly, slowly opening his eyes to look at her again.

Alanis smiled, but Draco didn't smile back this time and his face reddened.

"You disappointed the woman within me. But you made the girl Alanis the happiest in the world.", she said and grabbed his arm. "We have all the time in the world."

* * *

><p>Draco could not believe it. The moment he felt Alanis touching him, he was just shocked and disgusted of himself. But he should have known it before, especially how Alanis would react if he touched that seductively her and then suddenly pushed her away. But honestly, he'd never ever expected that Alanis just wanted him as much as he wanted her. Therefore he had to stop it before it went too far and they would later regret it.<p>

He felt his skin heating up and was almost not able to look at her as he asked:

"Have you ever had someone before?"

Alanis frowned and looked down in her lap.

"Honestly? I had."

Something inside Draco seemed to burn himself up and it was just worse as the feeling he had as he discovered Alanis and Blaise snogging. Perhaps it was just his Malfoy-mentality, or even just the incensed and jealous man inside him that made his blood boil with rage.

He'd never ever considered that Alanis could as well already have experienced physical love. Perhaps he was just selfish, but he wanted to be the first who would take her and never thought that there could have already have been someone whom she gave herself to.

He just could hit himself for that thought, but it was as well so present as his bloody friend down there still wanted to gain salvation.

"Who was it?", he asked and he saw how Alanis knitted her brows at his harsh tone.

"Why should that be important?"

"I just want to add him on my list."

Alanis looked quite horrified at that, but laughed shyly.

"That's not funny, Draco."

But he just couldn't help himself. He would just kill everyone who would draw near her. Although he had never ever the right to claim her his, he just would not take it to see her even outstared by another one.

He wanted her so desperately to be his.

His alone.

He flinched as Alanis took some steps forward and began to pull up his sleeve and reveal every inch of the Dark Mark on his left arm. He immediately clenched his fist, but Alanis just smiled at him. And then she reached out, her fingertips making circles around his mark, let them draw closer slowly and Draco's body shook of anticipation.

No one else than Snape had ever touched his mark, even Draco himself had never done it. As Alanis touched the fine lines of the head of the snake, he hissed and his body tensed.

Alanis impassively continued with her movements.

One finger touched the middle of his mark and she stroke it again and again, surprised at the smooth skin, this stupendously smooth part of his body.

"It's hideous. Don't touch it", he panted, even more lost his wind at this touch as he could ever have if she touched the other sensitive parts of his body.

Alanis smiled, suddenly bowed her head and touched the mark with her lips, put a gentle kiss on it. Draco stiffened and was not able to move of shock, stared at her with big eyes.

This was the most intimate touch that they could ever have shared, he knew that.

And even that, although he forced himself to stay away from her, heated him up even more than any passionate kiss, any seductive touch.

"It just shows how brave you are. I want to kiss every single mark on your body just to show you how much I admire you for being what you are." she said slowly and closed the gap between them, as she put her other hand on his shoulder.

Draco backed away, but she didn't let go, clasped her hand around his arm, held him tight.

He couldn't refuse.

He kissed her back eagerly, responded to her kiss with desperate greed.

Bloody hell, she made it so hard for him not to pin her down to the ground.

But suddenly he felt an almost habitual pain running up his arm and filling him up with fear.

He pushed Alanis away, she stumbled back, but Draco held his hand out to keep her at bay as she wanted to touch him again.

_That's impossible,_ he thought.

He'd been summoned and he even now could already feel how agitated the Dark Lord had been, as he felt how he digged his way into his mind and already let him feel the pain that awaited him. Voldemort would punish him.

Everything would be over.

There could be only one worse punishment for him since the last one.

This was his end.

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	26. Chapter 26

**Hey guys! **

**Thanks for the another time great reviews. I'm just so sorry for my late update today, but today I got my keys for my new appartement and it was my first day to be able to buy some new furniture. As you might understand the following days will be very very busy for me and I really will try hard to update! But please please forgive me if I don't. I just don't want to update some rubbish which I just quickly wrote, I really want to satisfy you and even me as well ;).**

**But please keep telling me what you think as it will help me so much with creating the last chapters of this story. I really loved to write my first English fanfic and I want to conclude it well. So please keep supporting me and please please give me your honest opinion! Even those readers who never ever reviewed to this story are highly invited to do so. Please help me with constrictive criticism!**

**With love, Olivia**

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><p>"Merlin's beard, Draco!", Alanis cried as Draco kissed the dust right before her. She reached out to grab him, but he pushed her away another time, his face a horrified grimace.<p>

What the hell was happening? Was he being summoned?

She didn't even know that that could be such a torture. And she could have never imagined that Draco was just defeated by his enormous fear of responding to Voldemorts call.

She just sat down beneath him, crossed her legs and looked at him tossing and turning and small sobs being the only sounds that escaped his painfully grimacing lips.

But after some time he swallowed down several times, sitting straight up and burying his heated face in his hands. Alanis wanted to reach out and touch him, but she didn't anymore dare to do it.

"He is angry, Alanis. Something made him so angry. I even felt it.", he said, still not looking at her. Alanis remained mute.

"He's going to kill me!", Draco suddenly cried out and Alanis finally grabbed his arm in support.

Draco furiously faced her and he just looked so scared.

"He won't, Draco! We've done it! The Cabinet works again! We even tried it out, you can report him that it worked!", Alanis pretended, but Draco shook his head.

"But something displeased him, made him so angry that he even send me pictures that showed me how slowly how painfully he's going to kill me. He looks forward to punish me, Alanis, for something I don't even know how I should have committed it!", Draco yelled and his body just began to tremble once more.

Alanis wrapped her arms around him and he held onto her, burying his face in her hair.

What the hell did all of that mean? Why was Voldemort so upset and even showed Draco his foreseeable torture? But what should Draco be tortured for?

"Did he find out about me?", she asked worriedly and Draco's body tensed.

He cuddled himself up to her and sighed deeply.

"He indeed did, Alanis. He saw you in my mind as I was summoned the last time. That was the main reason why I kept off from you."

"What?"

Alanis couldn't breathe as a cold chill ran down her spine and she even pulled Draco closer, as if she was the only one able to shield him from the evils of this world.

"But he's already punished me for that. That could not be the reason.", he grumbled and let his hands run through her long brown hair.

Alanis closed her eyes.

Voldemort should be satisfied with the Cabinet, with Draco's final progress.

He even could say that he was already able to travel to Borgin and-

Alanis moaned.

It had not been Draco who travelled, it had been herself.

Did Voldemorts wrath mean, that Borgin discovered her as she was dragged away from the Cabinet and escaped him narrowly? He must have seen her!

"Draco, when you called me back from Borgin and Burkes, Borgin opened the Cabinet's door. He could have seen me? Could he tell Voldemort that I was travelling with the Cabinet?"

"What? Why didn't you tell me that earlier?", he angrily shouted and he grabbed her hard. "Do you know what that would mean? Do you even know that would mean to us?"

Alanis looked down to the ground. She shouldn't have travelled with the Cabinet. But now it was anyway too late to regret it and make it undone.

"Voldemort would kill me. And he would kill you too, just because you got involved with me.", she whispered under her breath.

Draco just stared her and she knew that he wasn't able to agree with her, just because the truth was so unbearable. Voldemort would kill them and they would not be able to escape.

Suddenly she felt as if something pressed her down to earth, made her unable to move and that even clouded her mind.

Was that fear?

"What should we do?", Alanis asked nervelessly and rubbed her limbs as if she wanted to warm herself up. She indeed required some warmth, because at the moment every life force seemed to be drained out of her, just at the thought of what Draco and her had to face.

Draco grumbled.

"There's no help. We could run for our lives. But they will be faster. We would just meet the same fate as your parents."

Alanis dropped her head and tear her hair to let the pain repress her grief and despair.

Where could they go to? Where would that place be where they were sufficiently far away from the Dark Lord and his henchmen? Whom could they trust?

"We have to entrust someone with our situation.", Alanis murmured and let her chin rest on Draco's shoulder.

"And of whom do you think?"

Alanis pressed her lips together. She knew that Draco would not be pleased of her suggestion.

"Dumbledore?"

He jumped onto his feet that eagerly, that Alanis almost bit off her tongue as his shoulder hit her chin and he glared at her as if she'd been mad.

"Dumbledore is the last man on earth I would ever confide in! Can you fancy how it feels to look at that man? Can you imagine how unbearable his sight is for me? I could never face him, call on him and beg him on my knees hat he would overlook that I was about to kill him and help me!", he spat angrily and covered his left arm again, anxious not to touch the still aching skin. "I could never look in his eyes."

"Yes... How would you be able to speak to him?", Alanis said insightfully and stopped pressing her hand against her chin to give him a smile. But then she just stood up and began to pace up and down, as she always did when something worried her deeply and she felt Draco's intense gaze follow her.

"There's just one man left.", she said and turned around, while Draco began to shake his head eagerly.

"No, not Snape! He's-"

"The only one you will be always to trust. He's the right man, Draco. He did not only want to protect you just because of Dumbledore ordering him to. He cares for you deeply.", Alanis said and took some steps to grab his hands in support to her conviction.

Draco closed his eyes.

"He's a traitor."

"I'm a traitor too.", Alanis said and she shivered as she finally said that out loud, "We have no other choice. We can't do this alone anymore."

"We could run."

"Draco Malfoy and Alanis Dumbledore do not run away."

And finally with that she was able to steal a faint smile from him and she put her hand over his heart. It beat so constantly, so strong. She laid her head on his chest and listened carefully.

To hear his heartbeat, to hear him live, calmed her down so much.

He was with her.

She was with him.

That was all that mattered.

"Let us go."

* * *

><p>Draco knew that they ran the risk of being caught to walk around together in the castle, but he didn't care anymore. He could care less about that rumours, about everything.<p>

The only thing that was important to him was that small hand in his' and he grabbed it so hard that he thought he would crush Alanis' bones, but she didn't complain.

As they stood right in front of the DADA classroom, Draco felt sick.

How should he speak to Severus Snape? How should he tell him of that great mess he got into?

How should he tell him that he felt sorry?

He adored Severus Snape. He was the only professor in Hogwarts he ever liked and admired.

Draco admired that strength, that severity and integrity, Snapes skills and knowledge, and even, that he'd accepted him as his favourite student. Not in that swotter-sense.

But Draco felt honoured to have him paying attention to him and with the years they got even closer. Their familial relations bound them together and Draco knew there was no other better friend than Severus Snape in the world whom he could trust entirely.

Therefore he just felt ashamed of his behaviour.

In fact, he was not worthy to receive Snape's forgiveness.

"I always hoped you would finally come up to me, but I knew I had hardly a chance against Miss Dumbledore."

Draco looked to the ground as Snape opened the door of the classroom and let him and Alanis enter. They followed Snape heading to his table but he didn't neither sit down nor he offered them to take a seat, just faced them, crossing his arms.

"You must understand my choice, professor.", Draco said audaciously, but remained totally serious, his heart beating faster. He even was able to steal a short smirk from Snape, but his dark eyes rested on Alanis' face.

"What exactly brings you here? I suppose you were quite busy today as you both didn't even mind to attend the DADA lesson.", Snape asked, accentuating his every word, his voice full of disdain for Alanis. She nervously twiddled with the hemline of the sleeves of her robe.

"Alanis was able to fix the Cabinet, Sir, which will create a passageway to let the deatheaters invade Hogwarts.", Draco said.

Snape raised an eyebrow, but looked like that was even too much effort to show how impressed he was, what he naturally did not really want to show.

"You actually did? I did not ever think that being possible, as you both rather seemed to care to allow other things catch your entire attention."

Draco and Alanis blushed and looked to the ground. Draco wasn't even upset about Snape now scolding them for their relation. He was glad that Snape seemed to be the only one that kept the whole situation in perspective. Even if that whole conversation was embarrassing and offending, Snape was really the only man who would be able to help them.

"We tried it out, just to see if it really is able to create passageways for men as well. Alanis was able to get to Borgin and Burkes, but we fear that Borgin saw her."

Snape's expression became hard.

"Is that the reason for him summoning us?", Snape asked slowly and began to walk around his desk and leaned onto it, glancing at Alanis intensively. "The Dark Lord was more than agitated. If he really found out about Miss Dumbledore using the Cabinet, I fear the worst." Then his gaze quickly changed to Draco and he felt as if he stared him down, felt his limbs weaken.

"For you both."

Draco took a deep breath.

"Well, then let's suppose the worst. What should I say for my defence?"

"This time you'll have me in support.", Snape straightened himself up again. "But we have to present your final plan of the assassination to the Dark Lord to keep his attention to another life than yours, indeed."

Draco swallowed down heavily and saw that Alanis was trembling beneath him, but he just didn't dare to comfort her directly in front of Snape.

"The day when Dumbledore will be off for a mission with Potter, as Alanis told me, I will let them in."

"Tomorrow? Have you already planned everything through?"

"That is the reason why we are here for. Alanis wanted to speak to Dumbledore as well."

Snape curled his lips up in a smug and triumphant smirk and Draco hung his head to show how much he regretted to not have listened to him, not have taken him serious and speaking ill towards him.

But suddenly Snape's expression got more severe and blank than ever and as he raised his voice, Draco felt a chill ran through his veins as he reckoned how much disdain Snape's voice was filled with.

"Don't let Dumbledore ever force you to do something you just do because of your love to someone, but not because you are thoroughly convinced by it."

Draco and Alanis looked at each other and didn't even blush. They blushed when they touched each other but, now as Snape mentioned that their affection could be love, they didn't even try to deny it. Because it was true.

But anyway, what was Snape playing at?

At that Alanis managed to raise her voice the first time since they entered the classroom. She was excited and Draco could hear the fear inside her voice.

"Sir, as you know I heard Professor Dumbledore and you discussing about you overextending yourself on Draco's mission to kill him and-!"

"Don't minimize your abhorrent impertinence of eavesdropping, Dumbledore!", Snape spat forcefully. Alanis flinched back, but didn't hesitate to look back at him with as much agitation and vigour.

"But Sir, what Alanis wanted to say is, that we don't only have to fool Voldemort and the deatheaters, we have to fool Potter and all the others as well."

Snape curled up his lips again.

"That's not the whole truth, dear Draco. We even have to fool Dumbledore himself."

"What does that mean?"

"I suppose that Dumbledore doesn't already know of your success. He also doesn't know how you've exactly planned to absent him from all the others to be able to kill him. And to make everything seem true, we have to keep that as a secret, even to Dumbledore."

"But how to lie to Dumbledore?", Alanis asked with a very odd feeling down in her stomach.

"Not lying, foolish girl! Just not expressing the whole plan to him would be enough. He may be wise, but he doesn't know everything and even Dumbledore could be betrayed!"

Alanis didn't think it ever being possible Snape talking of Dumbledore that way. But perhaps he knew exactly what he was talking of. How many times then, had Severus Snape already betrayed Albus Dumbledore?

"Professor you just mean we should get his attention to lure him to some far-flung place?", Draco asked and Snape nodded stiffly.

"We will have to make sure that the deatheaters witness everything. But after - " Draco was even surprised that even Snape wasn't able to call the word murder, "-everything is over, we would have to flee from the castle immediately."

"The Astronomy tower."

Draco looked at her in amazement. Alanis said that out so suddenly, that he knew she hadn't even thought it through, but to his surprise, Snape nodded.

"Thank you, Miss Dumbledore. Your suggestion is worth to consider.", Snape said and gave her a faint smirk, which she answered with an own. Draco chuckled. Even now she didn't lose her mood to fight back Snape insulting her.

"But professor, what will you both do after everything is over? Where will you go to? The Ministry will be on your heels for sure.", Alanis regarded and Snape took a deep annoyed breath.

But as he saw that Draco looked at him as well questioning, he answered them.

"I suppose that Voldemort will soon take over the Ministry while I'll be the one on the run. Draco, you'll probably be able to return to Malfoy Manor and welcome your beloved father back, as soon as Voldemort released him and all the other poor ones from Azkaban."

Snape's voice sounded so sneering.

Draco suddenly had a very odd feeling. Would he be happy to see his father again, return to his home, where Voldemort lodged himself? He would rather like to be on the run with Snape.

He threw a short glance at Alanis.

He didn't even think first of being together with her. Why that?

Perhaps because now they would be torn apart anyway because of their loyalties for different sides. Alanis would still join bloody Potter and the Order and he would join his family and the Dark Lord.

Perhaps, after everything was over they would finally manage to get together again.

"Well, professor, what are we then going to do now?", Draco asked and swallowed down heavily.

Snape had a most pleased expression on his face as he walked around the table and smirked at them both.

"Now, finally this is the time to devise and implement our own plan."

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	27. Chapter 27

**Hey guys!**

**Finally the next chapter! Yay! I hope you didn't wait too long and therefore will enjoy this chapter even more. Please keep telling me what you think and don't hesitate to criticize me!**

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><p>Severus Snape was definitely the smartest man Alanis ever met. He might have been a tart-tongued, mean and stern professor, but his intelligence and authority was disarming and prepossessing.<p>

His plan for their final blow was brilliant. Everything would succeed in the right way, Alanis just felt it in her bones.

"Miss Dumbledore?", Snape asked suddenly, as she finally stood up from her seat. "Make sure, that Potter won't dare to abuse any spells of the Half-Blood prince again."

Alanis looked at him surprised. How did he get to know that that Sectumsempra curse that hurt Draco had been an invention of that peculiar prince?

"He's already hidden the book in which he read of them in the Room of Requirement."

Snape nodded stiffly with a satisfied and relieved look on his face. Alanis was glad too that Harry got rid of that bloody book. She would never forgive him using that spell on Draco.

But there was no time to think of how she could pay him back and even to bear a grudge.

Alanis' new task was to get Harry and the others on the wrong track, to prevent them from divining that Draco wanted to kill Dumbledore. But she would warn them about the deatheaters, because they were even in Draco's and Snape's way to deceive the headmaster himself and lurk him to the Astronomy tower, even if they were important to witness Draco failing and Snape murdering Dumbledore. But Snape knew the deatheaters much better than Draco did, because he even knew Voldemort better than anyone, even more than Voldemort's passionate admirer Bellatrix Lestrange. They would just enjoy to destroy everything that got in their way, not caring whom they harmed, likely to disport themselves with the scene of destruction. Alanis knew that Snape cared for the castle. As much as for Harry, she knew, this was a home to him.

Draco trembled as Snape and him finally stood up to floo for the encounter at Malfoy Manor.

Alanis knew that this would be the last time that Draco and her could really be together, look in their eyes without showing factitious and deep hatred and disdain, without meeting one another inimically and regarding each other as mortal enemies. Yes, it had come that far.

Draco's mission would make them all facing death, Voldemort's triumph over Dumbledore would change everything. Without Dumbledore, the wizarding world would no longer be able to be defended successfully against Voldemort. The Ministry would fall at once, because it was not strong under the guidance of Rufus Scrimgeour, who was just a poorly sovereign Minister. Their only hope was Harry Potter himself.

But would he be able to carry that immense burden on his shoulders that Dumbledore and the rest of the wizarding word put on him?

But he wouldn't carry it alone, there would be always his friends who would support him.

And Alanis would be one of them.

She swallowed down her grief. She wouldn't bear to be distracted from Draco, but it was their only possibility to keep their covers. Draco would return to Malfoy Manor, hopefully under the protection of Snape and hence even Voldemort and she would join Harry Potter. It would be hard for them to live separated lives, pretending to hate each other, while their bond of affection would devour them from within.

Before she headed to the door of Snape's office to leave, Alanis took Draco's hand in hers another time and squeezed it tight.

All her thoughts would be with him. She would be with him when he would now face Voldemort and bear the punishment, she would be with him when he would whisper those particular three words, she would be with him when he raised his wand to oppose the most powerful wizard to end his life.

Alanis loved Albus Dumbledore and was afraid of losing him, but his deadly fate was inevitable anyway. She was so sad and anxious of the moment when he would no longer be with them, but loosing Draco frightened her even more.

Draco looked at her with the most sad expression on his face that she'd ever seen and she let herself get completely lost in his gaze. But she wanted to remain strong, not show him how hard it was for her to leave him behind, to go away as if she abandoned him.

"Thank you, Alanis, you've done more for me than you could possibly think of.", Draco whispered and lightly touched her cheek. These were his words for her to wish her goodbye.

Alanis looked to the ground and blinked a few times to shoo her tears away. What would she say? How would she thank him for everything they shared? Would she dare to say him that she loved him?

"I know how it is to lose a family, to be the only one who's left. That's why I will always be with you."

Draco smiled slightly and his grey eyes glistened with sadness. Then he breathed in heavily and pulled her closer.

"I wish we could have been together entirely, even once." she said and let her willingly lead into the last passionate kiss they would ever share. But Alanis didn't bear this hard kiss that he gave her and with every single bitter movement of his unfamiliarly harsh lips, she wanted it to stop. Although everything in her urged to clung herself onto him, she wanted to separate herself from him to get over with taking a leave more quickly.

She let out a relieved and happy sigh, from which she hoped that it would sound to Draco like a painful sob, as Snape cleared his throat on the quiet and Draco disengaged himself from her.

Snape took some steps nearer and she could see in his face that he urged her to leave.

Alanis nodded briefly and put her hands on Draco's chest.

"Don't let him hurt you. If he does, I will pay him back, although I know that I might not be able to, even if I wished.", she said and took some steps back and with every step she felt as if something tore her heart apart.

Draco's face was empty, pale and he just pressed lips tightly together.

Alanis turned around quickly, clenching her fists and heading to the portrait's secret tunnel. Every step she took became heavier and heavier, as if something pulled her back, did not let her leave.

_Don't look back._

She closed her eyes and her whole body tensed as she moved on and she almost felt as if Draco stared holes in her back. But she would not look back at him.

If she did, she knew she would not be able to move even an inch forward. If she did, she knew she would rather be dead than being apart from him.

But she resisted the temptation.

As the portrait opened right before her and she took a step inside, she felt as if a gentle breeze touched her arms, as if something very cold rushed past her and she shivered.

She would prove her worthy being a Gryffindor and a Dumbledore.

She would leave everything behind, even the deepest feelings of her heart.

Alanis Dumbledore would be brave.

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><p><em>Please look back.<em>

But Alanis's tiny figure disappeared behind the portrait and it shut silently.

Draco hung his head.

He'd thought that they both already passed the hard times, but he had had no idea. Repairing the Cabinet seemed easy at last, what they should soon face would demand so much more from them. And this time they wouldn't be able to share the pressure, to share the burden.

They were just alone and even head to erase their memories.

It would seem as they did not even were related to each other.

Alanis Dumbledore would just be a foreigner to him. Perhaps, after everything was over, he would be honoured to get to know her again.

"I know the sorrow of losing someone beloved, because I survived it."

Draco unexpectedly felt the weight of a hand on his shoulder and Snape's cool voice let a chill ran down his back. He turned around and didn't even hide his sorrow as he looked in the dark eyes of Severus Snape.

"But you'll be able to bear it.", Snape said and gently led him back into the classroom and closed the door after them, headed to the fireplace.

But Snape's words didn't get through to Draco. He was just buried in his memories and he was not able to extinguish Alanis from his mind. Snape would have to cut his brain into pieces to stop him thinking of her and pretending just to have abused her for his plans. He could not lie to Voldemort. He was skilled, but he would not deny that he needed that girl, not wanted to push her away.

He would bear every punishment then, if it would just make him able to say openly to whom he really belonged and that he did gave a shit about what was going on in the rest of the wizarding world. He would bear the punishment of falling for one of Voldemorts fiends, he would bear to get even killed just because he gave his heart to Alanis Dumbledore.

"I'm sorry Draco. I didn't want you to end up like me."

Draco looked at the potions master as those words finally soaked through. He'd never ever seen professor Snape show any kind of emotion in his face, except spitefulness, repugnance and scornfulness.

And now, after all that years that he'd known him, Severus Snape seemed to be really concerned, worried and even sad. Draco could see every emotion flicker in Snape's dark eyes and look at him with such a warmth, that he even felt uncomfortable and asked himself if that was really Severus Snape in front of him.

"Professor?", a very strange feeling made Draco believe that Snape even wanted to tell him more with that few sentences, that there'd been a so much bigger message within his well-chosen words.

"I wanted to prevent you from becoming a marionette of the bigger forces, who leastwise knows that he is one, not like others not even having a presentiment of it. But I failed, because it got even worse.", he said and grabbed a pot of floo-powder from a table, his voice sharp and ferocious. "I just let you perform my own plan."

Was Draco really able to trust his ears? He looked at the potions master staggered and even worried.

Snape shortly returned his gaze and then turned away to take his coat from his chair and put it on, as if he just realized that he couldn't bear the sudden precarious situation, that he just caused himself. But even in that short glance Draco had been able to read a lot.

Severus Snape was broken.

He'd been suffering for all of his life and Draco had always sensed that. But he never ever opened his feelings to someone and now, Draco knew that Snape was exactly able to feel what he felt. But perhaps he felt even worse.

He didn't dare to pity Severus Snape, or even feel sorry for him. But he felt honoured that he witnessed the moment when Severus Snape opened himself and told him to be careful.

He'd never imagined being so happy about the potions master caring for him.

"Sir, I'm glad that you were so kind to lend us an ear and help us.", Draco answered and Snape waved aside and handed Draco the pot of floo powder and Draco took a handful of it. Then he stepped right into the fireplace and called out: "Malfoy Manor!"

It was so strange to return to that place.

Somehow he didn't even consider it being his home anymore.

Home could only be where his beloved will be and no evil snake settling in and befouling everything with a darkness, that even the members of the Malfoy clan could not cope with.

Thus, sweet home.

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><p>Alanis took a deep breath as she entered the common room and tried to cover her face with a fake smile. Harry, Ron and Hermione would ask her anyway where the hell she'd been the whole day, skipping her classes and not even let them know what's up with her.<p>

Hermione did indeed know that Alanis had been successful with observing Malfoy, but she did not ask her further to reveal anything about what she exactly had been discovering and if something emerged between them personally. If Hermione knew that Alanis in fact managed to fulfil half of Draco's mission, she might have told Harry and Ron everything. But Dumbledore and his orders were still Alanis' biggest arguments to justify her relation to Draco and even Hermione could not say anything against that.

Alanis took some steps forward and still trembled, felt so cold inside her heart, as if something tracked her, to finally hunt her down, to delight in her sorrow and finally release the already scalding unshed tears that filled her eyes.

Where to start now? Although Snape, Draco and her own concocted a plan, she didn't know how to bear the doubtful hours until the following evening.

She took step by step cautiously and saw Hermione and Ron sitting in front of the fireplace and they stood up as they saw her. But Ron didn't look quite friendly at her, even not Hermione.

"You're a liar!"

Alanis stumbled back, but none of the two before them had spoken. She looked around uneasily, but suddenly Harry pulled off his invisibility cloak and appeared right before her face. She let out a cry of shock, but not of Harry scaring her, but of his disrespectful movement towards her.

"How long is that going on between you two? How long have you been snogging Malfoy behind our backs?", Harry screamed and took some steps closer, while Ron and Hermione closed up to him.

"She kissed him? Did you see her?", Ron said scornfully.

"I could have vomited."

Alanis gawped at them unbelievingly. Had Harry been spying on her? Had he been following her to the dungeons? Had he been eavesdropping on them?

She felt how she grew pale. This was the worst that was able to come true. Harry found out of her being together with Draco and she didn't even know how to start defending herself, just to avoid further mischief.

"What did you think of betraying us? Harry saw you with Malfoy and Snape on the map, he was just right to spy on you! Now you can't deny that you aren't related to Malfoy, in whatever disgusting way!", Ron snapped and grabbed her arm and shook her angrily, until Hermione cried out to stop him, but Alanis just remained mute, as she wasn't able to speak.

"That's why you shouted at me! You were indeed concerned about Malfoy!", Harry said and Alanis blinked at him, tears already falling down her cheeks.

"You hurt him...", Alanis hissed, but she couldn't move on and Harry laughed bitterly and sardonically.

Ron suddenly pointed his wand at her and forced her to sit down in one of the armchairs and Alanis sought help as she looked to Hermione, but she just looked at her as much angry as the two boys.

Why didn't Hermione help her? Hermione knew what was going on! Or didn't she trust Alanis anymore, because she'd realized that she kept so much away from her? Did she knew that Alanis and Draco drew closer, so close that it might have even been indecent?

But why didn't Hermione praise her loyalty to Dumbledore?

"I think now the time is right to speak the truth, Alanis. If you ever have been our friend, which I doubt that you can be from now on anymore, you will not lie to us anymore.", Ron said and lifted her chin with the tip of his wand.

Alanis breathed in deep. Perhaps it was just the right time to start to be really dishonest and act according to the plan. And as much as she knew that her friends deserved to know the truth, she had to betray them once more.

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	28. Chapter 28

**Hey guys!**

**Finally the next chapter! Thanks for all the great reviews! I really hope you'll like the following chapter. I really try hard to write this story as best as I can and therefore you have to understand that it takes me just so much time to put it down in the best way I'm able to. **

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><p>"The DA has to stop the deatheaters, Harry. They would destroy everything in the castle.", Alanis concluded and Harry readjusted his glasses, while Ron still pointed his wand at her and didn't even seem to have calmed down a bit.<p>

Alanis never ever thought that Ron would resent her kissing Malfoy even more than Harry. But Harry was better able to judge the seriousness of the situation and overlook that insignificant happening.

Harry sighed heavily, reached out to push Ron's arm away. Ron protested, but let it happen at last.

Alanis looked to the ground. She'd told them that she had spied on Draco Malfoy and incidentally and unintentionally had fallen in love with him and had now managed to get to know that Malfoy planned to let deatheaters invade the school when Dumbledore and Harry would be on their trip to destroy a Horcrux.

"Why should Draco tell you that?"

"Because he wants no one to be harmed. Voldemort forced him to repair the Cabinet in the Room of Requirement, Ron. He had to do it to save his life, but he wants to save other's too."

Ron snorted angrily.

"You knew that Harry still felt and foreboded that Draco was contriving something against the school and you remained silent, although you knew that it was the truth!", Ron replied angrily, while Harry nodded agitatedly, but suddenly Hermione straightened herself up.

"Alanis just acted as her conscience told her to, because she as well had to obey orders. It was not her fault, because Dumbledore instigated her to do so!", she said and flinched back as if she crouched of the upcoming roar of fury of her best friends.

"You knew that Alanis was spying out Draco Malfoy and didn't even bother to tell us?", Ron glared at Hermione with disbelief and Alanis pitifully watched her best friend bow her head and look down into her lap, biting her lip eagerly as she always did, "You knew it!"

Ron shouted that loud, that even Harry beneath him winced, but Alanis saw him deflating inside his chair and resting his chin on his arm. His expression emptied and he kept readjusting his glasses nervously, that it almost seemed as he would like to pin them onto his forehead.

Alanis knew what he must have felt. He felt even more betrayed from Albus than from her. She had had to remain silent because she was told to, but Harry often suggested something about Draco in front of Albus Dumbledore and he'd always waved the whole thing aside.

"I had to keep it as a secret! Snape would have killed me if I told you. Honestly I'm just glad you found out by yourselves, so that he doesn't have any reason to make it come true.", Alanis murmured with relief and smiled sadly, but only owned a killing glance from Ron. Harry didn't even seem to realize that the conversation, or better disputation, was continued.

"But you, Hermione, knew every disgusting detail of them being together! You knew everything and kept it away from us!", Ron yelled at Hermione and didn't seem to be able to keep his tempers anymore. He just shouted at Hermione even more than at Alanis, as if he wanted to cry blue murder and that was just reasonable.

He jumped off his seat, paced up and down the common room and Hermione was on his heels and desperately tried to explain the matters and seemed to fall on deaf ears. Alanis was glad that Hermione first tried to defend Alanis as well, but the further their quarrel went, the more she had even to oppose Ron herself so much, as he thought of her betraying him even more and Hermione completely forgot about her. Hermione was close to tears and wrung her hands, not able to cope with the wrath with that Ron overflowed her and run her ragged.

But Harry remained silent and watched them as if he just witnessed a common marital argument of Ron and Hermione.

Alanis looked at him in deep shame, but she knew she had to be calm and prepare everything to the following evening.

"Harry, Dumbledore didn't lie to you. He just wants the best for you and not to bother you with that mission of Draco, because you have to destroy the Horcruxes. Remember that this is the most important thing! You have to destroy Voldemort!", Alanis said and Harry just returned her gaze, his face a sudden grimace.

"Dumbledore always taught me to trust, even signed me to trust Snape. I just can't get it in my head that he kept something away from me, even if he knew that I was close to discover it. I trusted him as he begged me to do so and he just threw my full confidence away.", Harry muttered.

"I know, Harry. But remember he didn't even tell you about the Horcruxes until the moment he was completely convinced that they really exist. He doesn't want to tell you unimportant and unsecure things, Harry, that's why he didn't tell you about Draco. He wants to protect you and loves you as much as you love him."

Harry bowed his head and Alanis took his hand and squeezed it tight, but to her surprise he even squeezed her back.

"You'll have to focus, Harry. Finding and destroying that Horcrux is the only thing that you should put attention to. The DA will keep the castle save, we will be there together with some members of the Order. Everything will be fine.", she said, but was almost drowned by Ron's eager voice, as he still shouted at poor Hermione.

Harry took a deep breath.

"You're right, let's inform the others.", he nodded and stood up, while Ron and Hermione looked as if they were likely to lacerate each other, and took out the Marauder's map. "But I'll never understand why you chose him."

"I didn't really choose, Harry. It just happened and I would have never dared to intervene and avert in any way."

"But you chose us as your friends too, Alanis! Or are we even friends to you? As for me, you can go to blazes!", Ron spat and rushed out of the room and left a crying Hermione, a sad Alanis and stunned Harry behind.

"I'm so sorry, Alanis.", Hermione whispered, but Alanis shook her head, her blood boiling with anxiety and fear.

"We have to move on."

_Because our lives are at stake._

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><p>Pain.<p>

Draco wasn't able to move and he didn't feel anything but immense and huge pain.

Was he dead? He wished it to be true, but then the pain would have already stopped. Or was he in hell, suffering from his sins?

This time when he faced the Dark Lord there had not been even any space left to fill him up with fear. The pain prevailed, hamstrung him had fainted after some time, the laughter of the deatheaters penetrating his ears, the powerful curses of Lord Voldemort hitting his body, taking away his consciousness.

But now he found himself lying there on the cold stone floor of the dining hall, his limbs stretched from his body in unnatural angles. Saliva compounded with blood dropped from his half opened mouth down to the edge of the carpet, right onto the silver Malfoy's family crest.

As much as he wanted to shut his mouth, he couldn't move.

Ponderosity pinned him down to the ground, but even seemed to crush his head. He felt as if he had to carry weight of the whole world on his shoulders. But in fact, he didn't feel very much. The pain seemed to have drained every essence of him, his life, his emotions, his thoughts, everything, and left just an empty shell behind.

Was he really sure not being dead?

But there it was. A lonely, but intense beat of a pulse, deep inside him, but nevertheless so far away. Was his body fighting or was his soul separating itself from his body?

All he ever feared seemed to have come true. Although he had succeeded, he would be killed by the most powerful and dangerous wizard. He should have better known that the Dark Lord just treated and used him as his personal plaything, tortured him like a cat would pursue a mouse, tormented him mercilessly, until death would even be a rescue to him.

Suddenly he felt something smooth touching his head and his lips, gently wiping the sticky liquid from his mouth, caressing his forehead with suavely applied pressure.

He wanted to drag that person away, just be left alone with his pain, but was still even not able to lift his eyelids.

"You're so resistant, my brave son."

He knew that voice, but it had been such a long time that he'd been able to hear it. Or was it just an angel's voice, welcoming him to the infinite darkness?

"You persevered, my poor Draco."

He didn't bear that soothing voice of his mother, lifting this veil of silence and darkness around him. There seemed to be nothing worth on this earth that he would be likely to get back to.

The Dark Lord's magic had sucked him out utterly.

"Just leave him there, Cissy. If the Dark Lord wishes him suffering you may not support him.", the snarling voice of Bellatrix Lestrange said and she giggled in amusement. If Draco could ever move again, he would make that horrible laughter coming up her dirty throat, stop.

"I will not abandon my son. He's suffered enough. He is still a child!"

"Still a child!", Bellatrix mocked and grunted amusedly, "But he seemed to be very adult as he took that little girl, didn't he?"

"Just shut your mouth, Bellatrix.", Narcissa Malfoy said quietly, stroking Draco's hair.

"You just can be happy that the Dark Lord grew tired of punishing him, sister. Otherwise you would have continued to expose yourself to ridicule with that ignoble and blamefully pleading for his life. The Dark Lord's judgement is ultimate, you should know that best.", Bellatrix spat and Draco could exactly hear the chaste tone of voice as she mentioned Voldemort. Her deep adoration for the Dark Lord was disgusting.

"Draco is strong. He would not let him get killed that easily."

"The Dark Lord just spared his life because of Snape, that traitor. Your son is weak, just as his father. You should finally realize that Cissy, I've always told you that you should beware marrying that nebbish. It's only natural that Draco inherited all of his weakness."

Draco felt rage boil up deep inside him and was happy about that. That meant that he wasn't close to death anymore. But he swore he would rip that women's tongue off for what she said about his family. His family was the most important thing in his life. That witch dared to tilt at the Malfoy's clan and he would pay her back.

As Bellatrix passed them, she kicked him into the stomach and giggled with joy. Draco didn't even have the strength to grunt with pain.

"Don't you dare to touch him!"

Bellatrix cackled mad and moved on, ignoring her sister pointing her wand at her.

"Mother..."

Dracos anger about Bellatrix finally loosened his tongue, this only word just escaped his lips to stop his mother from cursing his aunt. He wanted that revenge to be his. Narcissa let her wand fall to the ground and immediately supported his head as he tried to look up.

"Hush, Draco. Don't talk.", she said and bowed over him that he was able to look in her eyes. He loved her so much, but he'd failed to regain the honour for his family, for her. But he'd known from the first step he had taken into Malfoy Manor that his life had been over. Voldemort wanted to kill him because of his perfidious actions and even the success with the Cabinet didn't guarantee him a peaceful and easy death.

The Dumbledores had really been his curse.

Voldemort did perhaps anyway know that it had not exactly been him who repaired the Cabinet. If Alanis was lucky, Voldemort would therefore spare her life and don't set any deatheaters or werewolves on her track.

"Who's that girl, that she captivated you?", his mother asked reproachfully and Draco avoided her gaze, looking up to the ceiling to the ancient candelabrum.

At that moment he realized why he had been suffering that much. He didn't disappoint Voldemort with his mission, but with his feelings for Alanis. The Dark Lord was already aware of his affection and therefore knew that Draco didn't abuse Alanis as guinea pig for the Cabinet.

Lord Voldemort was able to read everyone.

Draco's feelings have been false, inappropriate and he must not have intercourse with his enemies. And now Draco had not even been able to pretend that he just wanted to have off with Alanis, because Voldemort would know that he had had many opportunities and refused to ever take advantage of that peculiar situations.

"Why have you been so foolish to sacrifice yourself just for the feelings to a girl?", his mother asked again, while hot tears dropped off her cheeks right onto his bare chest, right onto his marked skin.

He still looked up to the chandelier and didn't speak a word, let the weakness of his body lull him into semiconsciousness, happy, that his scrappy thoughts only slowly and idly swirled around in his mind.

His life was just like this amount of candles of the chandelier. All of them had been shining bright in his life, every single one representing his happiest moments and his fortunate future. But as his mission began to rule his life entirely, those candles were blown out one after another, distinguishing everything he lived for. The light faded away until he had only been a shade of his former self, damned to belong to the darkness entirely.

But there was Alanis. She had been a bonfire of light in his dark world.

She had given him new hope, a new will not to let himself down, making him able to live his life again and enjoy every single pleasure it treasured for him.

For all that he'd taken any punishment. Even death seemed then to be a small one.

He'd taken anything if he just knew that Alanis would be safe.

Draco just lay there and listened to his mother's silent sobs and let her clean his face of sweat and blood with her silken handkerchief, letting his emotions revive his body and his mind.

But then he heard the muffled voice of Severus Snape and he felt that some figures were coming closer.

"My Lord, he is the only one able to control that Cabinet. Consider that you might lose the possibility to invade the school."

"Once you will take over that old man's position there would be no need to hide if I want to visit it."

"But to achieve this, Draco's mission has to be completed first. Allow him to show you his loyalty, my Lord. I know he won't disappoint you this time."

For a short time, there was just silence and Draco felt the Dark Lord compassing his body, poking around in and penetrating his weak mind.

"The Dark Lord doesn't refuse his followers to finish their tasks, even if they fail, disappoint and abandon him, because almost all of them even deserve to perish honourably. As you well know, Severus, some of them even prove themselves worthy to get second chance."

Voldemort's steps became slower and he stopped right before him, that Draco was able to look at the pale face of the Master of Death himself. Draco's fear immediately filled him up, as Voldemort raised his wand, but instead of pain he felt that he gained new strength and his wounds seemed to heal.

"This boy will today take Albus Dumbledore's life."

Draco closed his eyes and his body finally relaxed.

Their plan worked.

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	29. Chapter 29

**Hey guys! Finally I can update. You have to forgive me, because I'm just so stressed, besides tomorrow I'll have to pass an English examination at University and therefore I'm quite busy with studying. I hope to be able to update sooner the next days, as you all were accustomed to it before. Anyway, I'd love to hear from you and about your honest opinion! Please tell me everything you want to critizice and in the better way, praise. Hope you all still stick with me and enjoy it! ;)**

**Lots of Love!**

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><p>"Just take this. It will keep you safe."<p>

Harry said and pulled out the little bottle of Felix Felicis and handed it to Ginny who took a little sip out of it. Alanis looked curiously at the little phial filled with golden liquid, that Ginny just swallowed down and let her sour expression brighten up a bit.

Ron glared adversely at her and Alanis didn't bear his gaze. Even one day after he got steamed up about Alanis he had not been calming down a bit. But Snape had already warned her that in the worst case she really had to cope with losing her friends, if it just made it possible for Snape's and at least Dumbledore's plan to work out.

But how to bear the loss of her friends, if her heart had already been ripped apart of her duty to abandon her feelings for Draco Malfoy?

Alanis quickly tried to shoo away her thoughts about Draco, but since the last night there was nothing on her mind than him, as she worried deeply about him being summoned. How far had his punishment gone? What did he just have to bear because of her?

Would he inevitably surrender to rationality and his will to survive and break away from her?

With every second she felt more and more disengaged from him, as if the halcyon days, the short and rush period they shared had long been bygone and her memories just seemed to fade, to blur like dreams, so far away and out of reach.

How to retain which is not tangible?

How to preserve what could just be held inside the heart, to make it stop leaking?

After Hermione took of the liquid luck Alanis and she reached out for it, but Ron pulled her back roughly.

"No! She doesn't deserve anything of it!", he cried, snatched the vial away from Hermione and swallowed the whole remaining liquid with one quick gulp.

"Ron!", Hermione cried out angrily and even Harry looked upset, but Alanis shook her head sadly.

"It's okay. Maybe Ron is right and I really don't deserve it. I won't need any luck to amend for what I've done. I will prove myself being worthy for you all.", Alanis said and the four looked quite embarrassed at her and Hermione gave her a faint smile, while Ron surreptitiously wiped his mouth.

"I'll have to go.", Harry said finally and Hermione and Ginny embraced him, while Alanis stayed on the sideline, knowing that it would not be the right thing if she forced Harry to say goodbye to her too.

"Alanis."

Harry suddenly grabbed her arm and led her into a warm embrace. Alanis tensed, but Harry didn't let her go.

"You fight for love, Alanis. Even if that moron is connected to it, I know that you fight for the light. That's the only thing that matters. ", he whispered in her ear.

Alanis just embraced him as well and buried her face in his shoulder. She was so thankful that Harry seemed to forgive her. But who else than Harry Potter would better know what love made people doing, after his mother sacrificed herself just to save him?

"Hurry, Harry, Dumbledore will be waiting.", Ron grunted and Harry detached from her, giving her a smile, patted Ron's shoulder and left the common room.

As soon as Harry had left, there was just an awkward and oppressive silence between them.

Now they had to inform all the other members of the DA to start patrolling the corridors and take their own positions.

Alanis was happy that she managed that Harry entrusted her and Hermione the observation of Snape. She'd not tell them that Snape was as much involved into the whole thing and that they were even acting according to Snape's plan.

Harry's reaction, after the assassination, the deep and increased hatred for Snape, who would henceforth just be known as the cold-hearted murderer of Albus Dumbledore, would just be so important to make the whole wizarding world believe that Snape was entirely on the dark side and betrayed the Order.

She pulled the Galleon and tapped it with a very odd feeling in her stomach.

_What are you doing?_

But there was no response.

How much she would give if she could be with Draco!

She would have given her life just to look in his face once more.

But Draco would leave after this was all over, would go back to Malfoy Manor and would try to live on, hopefully not forgetting to whom he should really belong to.

When would that war be over? Would Alanis ever be able to wake up, just feeling the warmth of Draco beneath her? When would she finally be able to call him hers entirely?

She feared that that day would even after the war be so far away from them.

* * *

><p>The Cabinet howled as if it sensed danger and dark powers and refused to let those horrible men pass.<p>

Draco slowly backed away.

If he could, he would have let the Cabinet swallow the deatheaters up inside it and make them disappear for all time. But the only one who could have done that was Alanis.

Draco's steps and the tumescent howling of the Cabinet echoed through the whole room as if they predicted foreshadowed calamity and mischief.

He bumped into a table and an old globe fell to the floor, but Draco immediately grabbed it and held it tight in his arms. As he looked down on it he saw his thumb pointing at Norway.

How much did he wish to just grab a broomstick and fly miles and miles away, just to escape everything, just to be alone and left with his existence.

All he wanted, was to be with Alanis. All he wanted was to live with her, to be with her for all time, to inhale her breath, to hear her heartbeat, to feel her body pressed against his, to feel her being alive just in order to be with him.

Merlin, he desperately wanted to look in her eyes again, get lost in them and just love her.

He gently put the globe back and listened to the still howling Cabinet and he felt himself shudder just as if coldness veiled him. Even if he just didn't have to fulfil his task, even if Snape took over the burden to become a murderer, he felt so weak and afraid.

The Dark Lord in person had healed his wounds and erased his pain to make him able to sustain his mission. But even if there weren't any marks left, Draco still suffered.

He was beaten, tired and fainthearted.

Why couldn't he just revive his old personality, the reckless, invidious and snotty Slytherin prince? Did his fate ultimately have particular plans for him?

The door of the Cabinet was slowly pulled open and the strong figure of his aunt Bellatrix took the first steps out, right onto the floor of Hogwarts castle. On her face there was an evil and mostly pleasured smile and she waved her wand as if she already thirsted to curse innocent people. She breathed in deeply as if she had to assure herself that it really had been the castle that she just invaded.

After her followed the werewolf Greyback, the Carrow siblings, Gibbon and that ugly blonde and tall deatheater Rowle. He was the maddest of all of them, even more dangerous than Fenrir Greyback who had a special taste for children's blood, but Draco knew Rowle's lust and habit to lose himself in the fieriness of combat, to become a berserk which longed for death and destruction.

How the hell could he have let it through that such people invaded the castle?

"Well done my dear Draco!", his aunt chanted with a malicious voice and Draco could her the desire within it. Desire for blood. It was even worse than the bloodthirsty gaze and growl of the werewolf on her side.

Draco backed away and hid behind a bookshelf, quietly making his way through the narrow paths between the walls of hidden things, escaping from the group of deatheaters. They would know that they had to find their ways to the Astronomy tower.

But Draco wanted to be faster. He had to face Dumbledore alone first.

Otherwise he wouldn't even have the strength to take the steps up to the tower.

Draco grabbed his wand and closed his hand around the galleon in his pocket. It gave him the feeling that a little piece of Alanis was still with him.

But now everything began.

It's time to play his part.

* * *

><p>Alanis leaned her back on the cold stone walls and let her foot make circles into the dust on the floor. It was just unbearable to wait. She grew more nervous with every single minute.<p>

"I'm so sorry, Alanis."

Alanis looked up at Hermione who looked at her, eagerly biting her lip and finally crooking her lips in a faint smile as Alanis raised her eyebrows questioningly.

"I never understood what it must take from you to do this. Dumbledore has given you the most difficult and demanding task he could have ever chosen, because deep feelings of yours are connected with it. I should have supported you, not push you away from me.", Hermione said quietly and ashamedly kneading one of her brown curls."I should have known that the whole situation was even more serious than I thought. There was just the childish insufferable know-it-all within me, who wanted you to behave the way she thinks best. I just overlooked your deep and intense bonds to Malfoy, I ignored the gravity of your connection."

Alanis' smile faded away at Hermione's words. She'd never realized how good it was to have her, to be able to rely on a friend who fully supported and understood her. Even if those close friends were just humans and ruled by their own sentiments and attitudes.

Alanis had missed that particular Hermione so much.

"I'm so happy that you tell me that Hermione. I'm just glad that you don't damn me and break off our friendship like Ron did. To have the dead certainty that there are still some people who accept me as the person I am, gives me new strength.", Alanis answered and wrapped her best friend up in her arms, rubbing her back.

Hermione rested her chin on Alanis' shoulder and Alanis could feel the corner of her lips on her cheek, lightly touching it and curling up in another sad smile.

"I adore you.", Hermione whispered.

"I just have something worth to fight for.", Alanis said quietly and suddenly she felt the galleon growing hot inside her pocket and she quickly pulled it out.

_It begins._

"Draco let them in. You should inform Lupin and the others, Hermione.", Alanis said and hoped that Hermione would really consider doing what she suggested. She just had to get rid of Hermione to be able to tell Snape that Draco now needed him and not let Hermione see this.

Alanis felt a sudden ache in her heart. Hermione just apologized, took one step further to get back to their old friendship and Alanis just responded to her with lies and betrayed her another time. When would she be able to be honest to everyone around her?

Would she ever be even able to trust even her own actions?

"I'll do it.", Hermione said to Alanis's relief and quickly paced down the corridor, her head of hair waving over her shoulders.

Alanis just leaned herself back onto the wall again and listened to the fading claps of Hermione's eager steps and breathed in heavily. Then she turned around to the door of Snape's office.

Now the time was right to move.

Now there would just be that ultimate task left and she would be free.

She would lose Draco, but gain freedom of not having to abide by tasks, missions, but just her free and own will.

She was free in every sense.

Alanis knocked quietly on Snape's door and stepped in cautiously. She discovered Snape already putting on his cloak and grabbing his wand from the table, as if he had known that it was time for him to join Draco at the Astronomy tower.

"It's time to go.", she said and Snape looked up at her, snatching up his cloak and taking some slow steps towards her.

He nodded and pursed his lips in an amused smirk, but his eyes began slowly glistening with restlessness and another very dark glint, that made her taking some steps back.

"Your mind is uncontrolled, overflowing, blatant, such a chaos of swirling emotions, that it was hard not to miss it.", he said coldly and Alanis looked down in her lap. He'd always thought her being a stupid little girl and his attitude still didn't change. Even if Snape accepted her being in love with Draco and accepted her being worthy to be with him, he still abominated and questioned her.

But suddenly she her chin was lifted and he looked directly into her eyes. His grip around her chin was surprisingly gentle, but unbearably peremptory. She flinched and was so surprised at the almost intimate touch of the potions master.

As she looked back in his eyes, she felt that he dived deep into her mind and she even didn't refuse him. She just surrendered to his intense gaze, his touch, and let him enter her without mistrusting him. She completely lost herself in that dark eyes, that even warm eyes, that seemed to veil her in a supporting warmth and solicitous empathy.

She just relaxed, let him dig around in her mind, even not really realizing how much of her emotions she let run over him willingly. She just let him see the whole extent of the feelings of her heart.

"I envy you."

Snape's voice was nothing more than a low whisper, but sharp and pointed. But as soon as those words reached her mind, he let her go and took a step back, still penetrating her with his intense gaze, his words still hovering in the air and barely fading.

Did she just hear what she thought to hear?

Did Severus Snape really envy her?

She suddenly felt a chill ran down her spine as she was filled up with sudden affection for that man.

He had to be a most tension-ridden and miserable man for all his life. He'd just been a puppet and there was no way for him to escape from that fate. Even if the time would come when that horrible war was over and Harry might have defeated Voldemort, Snape would just suffer from his contentious past and unfavourable prejudices.

Alanis sensed that something had broken him and that Snape was still suffering. Suffering from something that made him really envying her.

Alanis just looked at him, stood still and suddenly realized how much more Draco should appreciate that he was supported by such a great man. This most adorable man was perhaps even some better kind of a father to Draco than his own had ever been.

Snape curled his lips up in a faint smirk to encounter her most discombobulated but vacant expression and then, in a very graceful movement he bowed his head and congeed to her.

But before Alanis could even collect her thoughts, Snape rushed past her and left the room, a gentle breeze touching her face, as his cloak fluttered touching upon her legs.

Alanis shivered, her chest tightened and her body tensed with a new sense of delight and acceptance that she never ever felt before.

She hated Severus Snape before, but at that moment, at his words, there was just adoration within her and a much better feeling that let her know that Draco would be safe.

Hope.

There was no one on this earth who could have better helped Draco but Snape.

Alanis smiled to herself and slowly walked out of the room, carefully taking one step after another as her heart beat faster with lightheaded excitement.

At last, even in the worst situation a man could ever be, hope never died. Therefore she would hope for a better future, a future with Draco beside her.

And to achieve that, she would fight.

**PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!**


	30. Chapter 30

**Hey guys! **

**So sorry that I'm late with the update, but this was the most difficult chapter I ever wrote. I just wrote and rewrote that chapter, as I really wanted it to be perfect. I hope so much that you'll like it as much as I finally do, especially that chapter. I just won't say anything more, just beg you to enjoy it and feel with it!**

**PLEASE REVIEW! Let me know what you think, as you will very soon understand why I REALLY have to ask for your opinion! ;)**

* * *

><p>Alanis ducked her head as one of those innumerable killings curses that a huge blonde deatheater cast all over the corridor missed Ginny, who fluently branched backward, and singed some loose strands of Alanis' hair.<p>

Alanis stumbled back as another curse shot just few inches away from her temple into a gargoyle which then swayed dangerously and howled as it ran the risk of falling down to the ground. But Alanis didn't care much about the stone creature and moved on penetrating Alecto Carrow with disarming spells.

The big blonde deatheater growled as Ginny and Hermione managed to force him onto the defensive, but therefore he seemed to grow more and more aggressive and exaggerated. But Hermione and Ginny were very lucky indeed, as no single killing curse was basically able to hit them. Felix really did his bidding. Alanis flicked her wand with force and doggedly tried to force back the Carrow woman as well.

"Stupid child, get out of my way!", Alecto cried and threw many jinxes at her, that Alanis was happy that she succeeded that well with producing her shield charms.

At last, Snape wouldn't ever be able to judge her charms useless, weak and volatile. But anyway, this was so much different to an average DADA lesson.

The battle captivated Alanis, it let her move as if her body was just ruled by pure instinct, her surroundings were blocked out as soon as she looked in the face of her opponent and had to read her every movement clearly.

She never ever thought that combat would regale her that much, would let her blood boil with excitement, would make her able to feel every inch of her body and to return just to her natural being, her body and her mind.

As she'd fought a duel with Draco, she'd already got to know how satisfying and thrilling a fight could be and how much it was able to addict her. She had enjoyed to feel their strengths and powers colliding, to feel particularly Draco's force, to compete with him and to read him completely and had enjoyed him reading her even more intensively.

But this time her pleasure and excitement were different.

There was actually no pleasure left, there was just reality, because all this was more than a mere showdown. It was the reality of facing death, the presence of it breathing down their necks, hamstringing their minds and unsettling their bodies and consciousnesses.

It was pure.

The pure will to survive.

The thrill of it filled Alanis up, as she realized that skills, just stupidly memorized spells and rules of their use, and even perfection were then meaningless and rather preposterous to behold. None of those things did actually mean anything.

Everything decreased just to the art of fight itself, to the only purpose that the use of curses and fights could ever have. To kill.

And although Alanis felt how much every single curse made her loose herself, how her pure instincts took over her body and shut down her thoughts, reddened her sight and increased her will to survive, she enjoyed it. She enjoyed how her feelings ran high, how the strain bled her white and made her forget everything.

The difference between friend and foe was narrow, almost fading and of no significance, everything was just boisterous and rampant. Did she meet a friend or a fiend? Whom did she harm?

There's no need to think about that, because dead, all men were equal, and therefore even when they were facing it. They all were just on the edge to the ultimate and they didn't care about rules, moral or the good and evil.

The only thing that mattered, was the way how to perish, if somebody had to. And no matter on which side they belonged, all of them had this equal target, to at least die a glorious death.

There should be no fear, no hesitance and weakness. Desperation and rawness was welcomed.

Alanis felt sweat covering her whole body and exhaustion made her feet wobble. She nearly got taken aback as someone seemed to join her in that apparently hopeless fight. Alecto took advantage of her distraction immediately and threw a very powerful disarming curse at her, which stroke her hard and knocked her against the poor gargoyle.

Alanis moaned with pain and sank to the floor, felt warm and sticky blood of the back of her had soaking her hair. Her sight was clouded with red and white sparks, but a smile covered her face.

What was that, what made people to convey to the dark? The lust for pain and destruction, the thrill of death?

All that was nevertheless so tempting to Alanis. If that had been the reason for some people defecting to the dark, she would follow them immediately.

She got addicted.

She could even feel her own bloodthirst.

The dark had covered her heart, although she always tried to prevent it, since the day that Draco Malfoy took his first step into her life. But it had been inevitable.

She would belong to Draco Malfoy and to the dark.

Forever.

Suddenly she felt someone grabbing her arm and dragging her away from the stone gargoyle, supporting her wounded head and wiping away the blood of her face.

"Stand up, Alanis! Move on!"

Alanis glimpsed through her dust-clotty eyelids up to the face of Ron and she even smiled at him more wickedly. But she pushed him away and painfully straightened herself up, not really wanting to accept his help.

Then a very loud noise echoed through the corridor as the stone gargoyle finally fell to the floor and broke into pieces. Ron had just saved her life. How ironic.

"Thank you.", Alanis said and was upset about her voice rasping feebly.

"Never mind.", he said and hurried up to Hermione's aid as that blonde deatheater tried to obstruct the access to the staircase of the Astronomy tower, to make his companions being able to follow Snape up to the top without being slowed down by some pupils.

Alanis tottered around, drunken of frenzy and shuddered as she still felt warm blood dripping down her head, distracted with pain, that rushed severely through her body. She couldn't help herself, but a violent fit of laughter escaped her lips, as she stodgily warded off a curse of that blonde deatheater and stumbled because of its vehemence.

What the hell's got into her?

Why did she forget what she was originally fighting for?

Did she really stupid girl forget about her swearing to fight for Draco?

Fighting for him would mean keeping her tempers, be down to earth, calm and focused. She had to fight for the light to someday entirely be able to be with the man she loved. No matter what she did, she would never avoid her fate, which was Draco Malfoy himself.

Therefore it was not enough just to be on the good side or play the part of the innocent dearly beloved, she had to fight.

She would fight to the ultimate.

* * *

><p><em>"Avada Kedavra."<em>

Those words seemed too easily spoken, so lightly escaping someone's lips, echoing with a deadly intensity. But that were just words. Two simple words, formed by human tongues, an amount of letters, just aspirated with an ordinary sound, a little tone to make it liveable. Liveable just to take other's lives.

Draco never understood the meaning of the word curse before.

His body tensed. He'd never ever realized that it were just two simple words which could kill.

Spoken in the right way, words could be more than powerful.

Because it had been so simple. Shorter than a single glimpse, it was just a sudden flash of light, which touched the numb and fraught faces of all witnesses with such a gentle green flame, that it seemed to hide the lethal shadow, that death had casted over them.

It even hid it's real impact, blinding the witnesses not to see it clearly, not to see the life in Albus Dumbledore's body fade away and be extinguished. It just left a corpse behind. An empty shell, nothing really important, nor worth. The only worth thing had long been gone, the spirit had abandoned its life force.

Draco had already seen death several times in his life, especially at his initiation rite, but this time everything was different. There was nothing overwhelming on it, there was no almighty, untouchable and invincible feeling left inside him.

The only thing that remained, was guilt.

He'd always thought of being prepared to fulfilling his task, facing Dumbledore and finally watching Snape casting the ultimate spell that freed him from his atrocious duty. Draco thought himself being able to cope with witnessing the death of the only wizard Voldemort had ever feared, the man who seemed to be the only one who really pulled the strings and even would continue doing it after his death and who contributed a lot that Alanis had stepped into his miserable life.

Even if the Dumbledore's were definitely his curse, he thanked them too. He had been able to regain his will to live, his will to even oppose his master and find back to those people whom he really belonged to and of whom he knew that they loved him.

After Dumbledore's body fell from the tower, Draco wasn't able to move, while his aunt screamed with laughter, danced around boisterously and shot curses in the air, which seemed to divide the dark sky in pieces and framed the pulsing Dark Mark.

Draco could just stare at the place where Dumbledore just had crouched and apparently pleaded for his life and that was now empty.

"It is over. Let us go.", Snape said and Draco looked at him. No one except him was able to see the still present feeling of shock and disbelief in Snape's eyes, his body tensing because of him shaking like a leaf and his face becoming a dark and cold mask to hide his swirling emotions.

Draco never really thought that even Snape would be affected that much by killing someone. But Snape actually did not kill someone, he killed Dumbledore, the only one who ever supported and trusted him fully. Snape was now alone, would be damned for all time as a murderer.

Draco could not ever imagine a bit of how Snape must have felt at that moment.

Snape eagerly grabbed Draco by his collar and dragged him down the steps, while Draco remembered that Potter might be around somewhere. Did Alanis keep her word and not tell him about what had the real purpose of Draco and her repairing the Cabinet? Had she been acting according to their plan?

"Snape!"

But as soon as Draco could hear the appalled voice of Potter behind them, he knew that Potter did just witness the cruel assassination of one of his most associated men, who was killed by the man he hated the most. Draco swallowed down heavily as he quickly took the steps down following Snape to the corridor to the Great Hall.

Potter would complete the perfect lie. He would make Snape entirely able to keep his position as the most camouflaged and important ally he could ever have.

As they reached the corridor, they immediately encountered the other deatheaters, who were fighting some of the Order's and DA's members. Bellatrix longingly and eagerly entered the fray and just almost fell one of the aurors, while Greyback launched into Longbottom and Lovegood who were fighting side by side.

The sturdy defence and the protection of the castle was useless anymore. Because now, with Dumbledore being killed, even Hogwarts would be no safe place anymore. There were no barriers left for the dark side, Voldemort would easily take all over, as all the members of the Order would be scared, of Dumbledore being defeated that easily, angry, of not already having reckoned Snape being a traitor and not discovering him, and unknowing about how to take their steps further. But if the Order maintained being which it was, it should never hesitate to opposing the Dark Lord.

Dumbledore had really seemed to be a man who trusted people utterly. He trusted Severus Snape that much, that he even gave every responsibility to him. If Snape would now stop to obey Dumbledore's orders, the wizarding world would be at the mercy of the Dark Lord entirely. Potter was nevertheless the people's only hope and even he was not even yet fully aware of his task. Dumbledore's trust was admirable, but Draco knew that Snape would never abandon the man whom he owed so much, as much as Potter would never do.

"It is done! Retrieve!", Snape barked and pulled Draco hard on his collar to dodge one of the straying killing curses that Rowle cast all over the Hall, which recoiled on the high walls and destroyed everything in their direction. Bellatrix and Greyback did not listen to Snape and were totally caught by their bloodlust, while the Carrow siblings ran around as if they didn't know what to do.

Draco watched out for Alanis, but the air was filled with dust that clouded his sight, the smell of blood and his exhaustion let him struggle for breath and Snape just dragged him with him, that he was barely able to not stumble over his feet.

"Enough!", Snape yelled, but Bellatrix just laughed insanely, while she penetrated Hermione and Ron with killing curses.

And then it happened.

A very loud, dangerous noise echoed through the whole Hall and Snape and Draco looked up to the ceiling. That amount of Rowle's curses made the beams of the Hall burst, cracked the statues and let large pieces of them falling to the ground. But the statue that now fell directly down towards Snape and Draco was far away from being a piece. It was a huge statue of a dragon and within less than a second it would crush the two of them.

Somebody cried out for them, but they both were petrified.

Draco just closed his eyes to await the pain, the sudden end of his life, the final inevitable blow.

_"Draconifors!"_

Suddenly the whole Hall shook with the deafening roaring of a stone dragon which was just animated and stretching his wings, desperately trying to escape the narrowness of the Hall.

"Look what we have got here!", Bellatrix cried, but Draco just had eyes for Alanis and ignored Snape pulling him to force him moving. Didn't Snape realize that he owed Alanis his life?

Alanis smiled, as she felt him staring back at her and it was the most relieved and satisfied smile and Draco knew that she was even proud of her charm, as the dragon flew across the room and made everyone back away. Rowle and the Carrow siblings immediately tried to hit it with their curses, but that dragon resisted their magic, as his skin was nothing less than pure stone.

Draco had never thought that Alanis was that powerful. She'd just awakened a huge stone dragon to life, in order to save Snape and him.

And he'd never thought that he could be so relieved to look in her face. Although her face was half blood covered, her expression a painful grimace and her body arching of pang, she looked back at him.

Her eyes glistened with something that Draco had never seen before on her. She was filled up with that what made people surrender to the dark, selling their souls to the dark made flesh, just in order to succeed in one particular way, which they considered worthy to sacrificing everything they had for.

And even if her purpose was simple, it filled him up with happiness. As if she was radiating it all over the place, he could feel how her love for him captivated him, entwined around him, claimed him. This time, whatever happened, he would let it through that she claimed him hers. And she was his.

Then a green flash of lightning covered his sight.

As he managed to look at Alanis again, something was different about her.

Her smile was frozen in her face, although it still showed him so much love and warmth. Feelings, that even persisted after death.

As if was far far away from Draco, somewhere in a distant corner of the Hall, the stone dragon dashed to the ground, inanimately, as the magic that animated it, ran dry.

"No!"

But it hadn't been Draco's voice that cut the thick air around them.

Snape stared at Alanis with shock, but immediately grabbed Draco's hand, to stop him drawing nearer to her. Draco had not the strength to fight him back and was slowly dragged away.

Alanis' knees buckled under her and her body fell to the ground, unmoving.

Draco wasn't able to look away from her motionless figure, her unblinking eyes, her empty face.

He felt a heavy and comforting hand on his shoulder, as it seemed to always be there and never removable, never ever leaving him and refusing him protection.

But why did he get protection, when Alanis needed it much more?

Alanis had needed it...

"She's gone."

**PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!**


	31. Chapter 31

**Epilogue**

"She's gone."

But Snape's voice didn't reach my mind, although his presence next to me did.

This is how Snape must feel.

I suffered what Snape suffered.

The pain was so immense that there was nothing else that I felt. It was the pain of imminent loss. Never again be comfortable in this world, all because of my feelings for Alanis.

Today, as Snape had taken over my task, I had regained my life, freedom and confidence, but now I lost everything, even more than this worthless life.

Was this it? Was everything over? How could I live without her?

Alanis was now beyond this world, I never felt so alone. Now everything had changed terribly. The world lost its brightest and most powerful opposer against the dark and this loss had been devastating. I had lost my father as he was sent to Azkaban and had lost my mother, as she turned her back to reality, but this was different. This was a pain beyond even that.

I had called Alanis my related one, had kissed and desired her, served the Dark Lord together with her in order to save us. But now, as she was entirely taken away from me I did fully realize the truth.

I loved Alanis and there was nothing more important on this world to me than her.

Alanis' life had still been in the store for her, a life with me, but it was just taken away.

Alanis deserved to be worshipped. And therefore I would live for the both of us. I just understood that we have a limited time on earth and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up. Therefore I would begin to try to love each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one I had and even if it couldn't be the fullest just because Alanis was not at my side.

And there lay a combat ahead of me that I would never be able to win.

Because some day I knew she would be lost entirely for me. She would cease whirling around in my thoughts, stop haunting them and will be buried deeply within my memories. Time will extinguish her from my mind. I will pass every moment fearfully of that day.

The day when I even will forget that fear.

But I won't forget how she changed me. Her presence ripped into my heart deeply and Alanis just settled herself within it and won't ever fade.

She would rule me until the end of my life.

Mankind's greatest gift and also its greatest curse, was that we had free choice.

We can make our choices built from love or from fear.

I would built my future on both of it.

Alanis had been the good part of us, converted more and more to the dark as long as she was with me and that's why I would now take on this change too. I would fight for the light just because of Alanis. I would let her change me to the good.

I would avenge her.

I would support everyone who wanted to destroy Voldemort.

To achieve salvation, I would support even the only man that now was left being able to save all of us. I would back and shield him from the evil ones that were once my fellows.

I would help Harry Potter.

Just for Alanis. She marked my path to the light.

I would accompany Severus Snape, would join his sorrow and fate.

I will be the light, that lives in the dark.

I will be the dark, that lives in the light.

I will be the true Draco Malfoy.

* * *

><p><strong>Now, my dear readers, we reached the end of my first English fanfic.<strong>

**I hope you all really enjoyed it!**

**In the end, I really want to appeal to all of you just telling me what you think about my story, my writing, if I should continue writing fanfics, and perhaps even someday think of writing a sequel to this story. Just please give me your honest opinion, as I will learn from it for the future. Your feedback means a lot to me!**

**At last, I really want to thank all of you who stuck with me until the last word of the story, and thanks for the great reviews! You can't imagine how much writing that story improved my skills!**

**Thank you very much, Olivia**


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